A Brief History of Fascist Lies
The lucid and accessible discussion of the connection between fascism and lying made by Argentine historian Federico Finchelstein comes to listeners through the equally clear and agile narration of Edoardo Ballerini. International in scope and spanning the twentieth century’s infamous fascist leaders and their followers, the audiobook calls upon Ballerini to demonstrate his ease with a broad range of languages to smoothly pronounce names and terms. His pacing, and the author’s writing, prevent any sense of drag, making this short audiobook rigorous enough to engage politically educated listeners as well as students eager to find expert guidance in developing historical understanding.
No-No Boy
Greg Watanabe, Kurt Kanazawa, and Joy Osmanski give riveting, emotional performances in this L.A. Theatre Works adaptation of the 1957 novel by Japanese-American author John Okada. After spending years in internment camps and prison, a Japanese-American who had said no to both a loyalty oath and serving in the U.S. military during WWII (hence, the term “no-no boy”) finally returns home to his native Seattle to find old friendships and his family in tatters. Watanabe’s voice deftly captures the pain and confusion of a young man of color who finds that he has no job prospects, his delusional mother believes Japan won the war, and the girl he loved is already married. Still, like so many American tales, there is the sound of hope.
The Real Herge
Fans of the classic graphic novel series Tintin will enjoy this biographical audiobook about its creator, Herge. Listeners will learn about his lower-middle-class childhood in Belgium, his experience as a teenage illustrator for a Boy Scout magazine, and his years as the illustrious and sometimes controversial originator of the beloved boy reporter. With his hefty catalog, Simon Vance is an excellent choice as narrator. His experience provides a first-rate listening experience. Vance's precise pronunciation of foreign names and places aids those without knowledge of the languages used. Imbuing his performance with an air of enthusiastic familiarity with the material further draws listeners into Herge's world.
Someone Like Me
In this YA memoir, Julissa Arce tells the story of her childhood in Mexico and her teen years as an undocumented immigrant in the U.S. Her heartfelt delivery makes the audiobook sound like a friend revealing her hidden tragic past. Before she became a vice president at Goldman Sachs, she was the youngest daughter in a family that prized education. Her parents worked tirelessly at selling silver at trade shows while she stayed with nannies in Mexico. In middle school, she joined her parents in Texas, but after her tourist visa expired, she lived in fear of discovery. Despite enduring abuse and trauma, she earned stellar grades and SAT scores, only to find more barriers to the American dream. Arce shows that immigrant teens deserve more opportunities.
Library Staff
Sue Heraper, Teacher Librarian, sheraper@conejousd.org
Fey Ouyang, Library Technician, fouyang@conejousd.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/learn.conejousd.net/nphslibrary
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