SMOKETOWN The Untold Story of the Other Great Black Renaissance

Regularly overshadowed by Harlem and Chicago, Pittsburgh was also a major force in the black renaissance of the first half of the twentieth century. Whitaker's book opens a window on this vibrant sector of black culture. Prentice Onayemi offers an engaging, easy-on-the-ears narration. His mellow tone carries listeners through some overly detailed passages. He varies his tone to fit the material and sometimes just to change the pace. For direct quotes, he changes his pitch or adopts an accent to set those words apart. The only weakness is the author's narrative structure, which at times follows a seemingly serpentine path from one anecdote to another before making a point. But the stories are interesting, and Onayemi tells them well. R.C.G. Winner of AudioFile Earphones Award © AudioFile 2018, Portland, Maine [Published: FEBRUARY 2018]