If it isn't clear to you by now that the financial crisis of 2008 is still reverberating in the world's economic, political, and social realms, then this timely and fascinating audiobook will serve as a reminder. Everything from world trade to immigration and the rise of populism can be traced back to the Great Recession. The author credibly reads the introduction, using his British accent and earnest tone to set the literary table, but it's narrator Simon Vance's performance that provides the sound feast. Vance also has a British accent, and he pairs it with a smooth delivery to accentuate the sense of crisis. His voice is not elastic, but Vance is able to vary his reading enough to present the facts as a story, rather than simply a recitation of facts.
Pub Date: Aug. 7, 2018
Duration: 25 hrs, 30 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525631118
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
The readers can't compensate for the unbearably pompous prose style of this extended parable about corporate politics and strategy.
Pub Date: N/A
Duration: 3 hrs
Publisher: Random House Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
An engaging experience.
This audiobook deals with everything from the historic investments that led to world-dominating companies, such as the Chinese technology company Tencent, to predicting the products and services of the future. An audiobook of such complexity requires a narrator who can handle the task, and David Thorpe manages it admirably. Thorpe uses his masterly voice, which sits somewhere between that of a BBC World Service presenter and an easy, relaxed Home Counties accent, to guide listeners through a sea of numbers, acronyms, and terms such as YP, RPS, and market cap. Rather than simply reading, Thorpe presents the work with excitement and enthusiasm, and this enjoyment transfers to the listener.
An engaging experience.Pub Date: Feb. 20, 2026
Duration: 13 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781668103425
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: March 17, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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