CANARY IN THE COAL MINE A Forgotten Rural Community, a Hidden Epidemic, and a Lone Doctor Battling for the Life, Health, and Soul of the People

Narrator Tim Dixon lends a strong, well-paced voice to the religion-infused story of Dr. William Cooke, who followed his faith to bring effective drug treatments, including HIV care, to the small, struggling town of Austin, Indiana. Dixon's matter-of-fact, nicely pitched delivery helps place Cooke's relationship with his God in context--as a part of his everyday life that does not require loud "hosannas" or "amens." Cooke explores a lot of issues in this audiobook, including race, poverty, and governmental indifference/outright hostility. He also takes the opportunity to settle a few scores. Cooke relies on composite characters, an approach that might bother some listeners. Overall, this is a well-performed story of a man who acts on faith--using his skills to help people who need them. G.S. © AudioFile 2021, Portland, Maine [Published: OCTOBER 2021]