Audiobooks From Slate logo

Audiobook

The Queen: The Forgotten Life Behind an American Myth

By Josh Levin

List Price:25.98

Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Biography

In this critically acclaimed true crime tale of “welfare queen” Linda Taylor, a Slate editor reveals a “wild, only-in-America story” of political manipulation and murder (Attica Locke, Edgar Award-winning author).

On the South Side of Chicago in 1974, Linda Taylor reported a phony burglary, concocting a lie about stolen furs and jewelry. The detective who checked it out soon discovered she was a welfare cheat who drove a Cadillac to collect ill-gotten government checks. And that was just the beginning: Taylor, it turned out, was also a kidnapper, and possibly a murderer. A desperately ill teacher, a combat-traumatized Marine, an elderly woman hungry for companionship — after Taylor came into their lives, all three ended up dead under suspicious circumstances. But nobody — not the journalists who touted her story, not the police, and not presidential candidate Ronald Reagan — seemed to care about anything but her welfare thievery.

Growing up in the Jim Crow South, Taylor was made an outcast because of the color of her skin. As she rose to infamy, the press and politicians manipulated her image to demonize poor black women. Part social history, part true-crime investigation, Josh Levin’s mesmerizing book, the product of six years of reporting and research, is a fascinating account of American racism, and an exposé of the “welfare queen” myth, one that fueled political debates that reverberate to this day.

The Queen tells, for the first time, the fascinating story of what was done to Linda Taylor, what she did to others, and what was done in her name. “In the finest tradition of investigative reporting, Josh Levin exposes how a story that once shaped the nation’s conscience was clouded by racism and lies. As he stunningly reveals in this “invaluable work of nonfiction,” the deeper truth, the messy truth, tells us something much larger about who we are (David Grann, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Killers of the Flower Moon).

ISBN: 9781478995135
Published: May 21, 2019
By: Josh Levin
Read by: January LaVoy

Listen in these apps:

  • Apple Podcasts
  • Spotify
  • Google Podcasts
  • Overcast
  • Pocket Casts
  • iTunes
  • Podcast Addict

Buy

By purchasing, you agree to the terms of use and privacy policy.

FAQ

How will I listen to my exclusive podcast or audiobook?

You can listen in your preferred podcast app.

Can I use my current podcast app?

We support Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Overcast, Pocket Casts, Podcast Addict, Castbox, BeyondPod, Downcast, PlayerFM, Breaker, and RadioPublic.

Sorry, but we do not support Stitcher, Podbean, or NPR One.

You’ll also be able to listen to your audiobook or podcast purchase online.

What types of payment do you accept?

You can pay with any major credit cards, as well as Apple Pay on iOS and Google Pay on Android.

Who made this?

Your seamless listening experience is powered by Supporting Cast. Contact help@supportingcast.fm for support.

Wait, I don't understand—I can use a podcast app to listen to an audiobook?

Yup, that’s right! Listen to audiobooks in the same place you spend hours listening to your favorite podcasts. No new apps to download, no subscription fees. You get lower prices, too, because nobody had to build a fancy new app.

I don't see the book I'm looking for.

Browse our catalog to see all books currently on sale.

The store just launched, so please excuse our appearance as we continue to build out the site navigation and shopping cart experience.

Why should I buy my audiobooks from Slate and Supporting Cast?

Learn more about the store here.