WAITING FOR THE LONG NIGHT MOON Stories

Megan Tooley and Ussani Taylor deliver moving performances of Amanda Peters's short stories, which explore the Indigenous experience throughout American history. Peters, author of THE BERRY PICKERS, writes about such disparate people as a girl who is witnessing the arrival of the first white settlers and a boy who is struggling in a Christian boarding school. Tooley performs most of the stories, using a sweet lilting voice, gentle delivery, and subtle shading of personality to help listeners delight in a girl's first traditional dance and be brave during a group's environmental protest. Taylor, who reads four deeply moving, emotionally difficult pieces, gives a tough and perceptive performance, lowering his vocal register and flattening his tone to portray Native boys and men hanging tough during systemic injustice. Together, they create an important listening experience. A.C.S. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2024, Portland, Maine [Published: JANUARY 2025]