THE BEAUTIFUL STRUGGLE

Vivid writing and a powerful message make this memoir exceptional and important. Coates, a contributing editor to ATLANTIC, recalls his coming-of-age on the mean streets of Baltimore during the crack era, flanked by a difficult, activist father and a charismatic, wayward elder brother. Here's an insider's look at hell, told without anger or self-pity, by one who struggled his way out of it. Choppy delivery, seeming incomprehension of the material, and humorlessness make JD Jackson's narration disappointing. At least he has a pleasant voice and good diction, so that, even while he is obscuring the sense of the text, the listener can understand the words. Surely, this special book deserves better. Y.R. © AudioFile 2009, Portland, Maine [Published: JUNE 2009]