cover image Newtown: An American Tragedy

Newtown: An American Tragedy

Matthew Lysiak, read by Adam Verner. Tantor Media, unabridged, six CDs, 7 hrs., $34.99 ISBN 978-1-4526-1821-0

Lysiak goes into the heart of the Newtown massacre to try to recreate what happened at Sandy Hook Elementary School and why. He explores the lives of the victims, the survivors, and the killer. His balanced approach avoids blaming in lieu of identifying the various dynamics at work and the issues that allowed for the event to occur. Narrator Verner turns in a winning performance, his voice conveying appropriate emotion while still presenting the material in clear manner. Verner provides subtle voices for dialogue but infuses them with accurate feeling. Additionally, he wisely avoids melodrama when describing the massacre. The audiobook also includes an insightful interview with Lysiak. A Gallery hardcover. (Dec.)