THE VANISHING MIDDLE CLASS Prejudice and Power in a Dual Economy

The mildly cheery tone in Stephen Thorne's performance helps the medicine go down in this astute and timely overview of why our rich and poor are so economically divided. Along with effortless-sounding enunciation and phrasing, his narration has a personality that connects with the author's progressive ideals without discernible outrage or hectoring. The author, an MIT economist, offers accessible lessons about the public policies and economic realities that have weakened the poor and diminished their opportunities. Listing familiar factors such as vanishing factories, weakened unions, unjustifiable tax breaks for the wealthy, public service privatization, and class and racial barriers, he lays out the problems and solutions with clarity and equanimity--all of which are furthered by Thorne's excellent reading. T.W. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2017, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2017]