America Again: Re-Becoming the Greatness We Never Weren’t

The packaging of this audio edition of Comedy Central satirist Stephen Colbert’s latest title features an icon promoting the recording’s “3-D High-Def Surroundiness.” While this claim clearly follows Colbert’s pattern of tongue-in-cheek buzzwords and taglines, the production quality does contribute to a satisfying listening experience, as voices and sounds—including a stoner commentator’s bubbling bong water—are distinctly rendered in the fashion of live theater. Colbert’s narrative—steeped in his characteristic irony—weaves expository chapters on various hot-button issues with monologues from individual citizens. With the possible exception of the aforementioned stoner, the most memorable of these characters is a silver-tongued energy industry spokeswoman who embodies the very essence of spin in the current media culture. Colbert’s brand of entertainment occupies a unique niche in the marketplace, and regardless of whether the punch lines click for individual listeners, the comedian’s latest offering remains unmistakably faithful to that brand. A Grand Central hardcover. (Oct.)