Ray Porter is an outstanding choice to narrate this economic history. His voice lends authority, and his energetic delivery suits the subject well. For this is an audiobook with a most singular idea of what and who have shaped our economic history. The authors' admiring portraits of the giants of industry--Rockefeller, Carnegie, and J.P. Morgan, a trio more often denigrated as robber barons--informs the story. The principle that structures the action here is "creative destruction," the ever forward movement that pushes capitalism. Part paean to rugged individualism, part scold of the previous era of stagnation, this audiobook, while slanted, delivers a primer on how American capitalism prevailed. The authors are evenhanded, dismissing both the tariff-loving Trump and the redistribution notions of Bernie Sanders.
Pub Date: Oct. 16, 2018
Duration: 16 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780525635659
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
Henslee’s warm, unhurried narration makes listeners feel like the next success story could be theirs.
Barbara Henslee narrates with an intimate, upbeat delivery and a sunny Southern warmth that feels like being personally recruited to the Mary Kay empire. Her voice suits the material perfectly, drawing listeners into a bygone era when women built empires through gatherings around kitchen tables and on front porches, long before they could open their own bank accounts. Henslee never oversells, just gently persuades, mirroring the company’s own quiet pitch to millions of women that economic independence and personal transformation were within reach. The balanced treatment of the realities of multilevel marketing, alongside the truly inspirational story of founder Mary Kay Ash, make this a compelling listen for anyone curious about the often mocked world of direct sales.
Henslee’s warm, unhurried narration makes listeners feel like the next success story could be theirs.Pub Date: April 28, 2026
Duration: 14 hrs, 24 mins
DD ISBN: 9798217281879
Publisher: Penguin Audio
Review Posted Online: June 9, 2026
Kirkus Reviews Issue: July 15, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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