Narrator Jim Meskimen brings an unassuming charm and perfect timing to his performance of this engaging book about the Chinese ecommerce hub Alibaba. Alert to every nuance in the writing--he's a longtime associate of Jack Ma--Meskimen delivers this fast-moving narrative with appealing authority. Starting out as an English teacher in China, Jack Ma found the path to becoming a superstar entrepreneur in the days when the Internet was young and much of China's business took place in street markets. He overcame cultural, technical, and governmental obstacles to reel in the financial partners necessary to grow his Internet sales platform and ultimately defeat U.S. competitors. The story's texture and detail explain the personal and administrative challenges of this entrepreneur's journey, and provide a colorful overview of how China has become an economic juggernaut.
Pub Date: April 12, 2016
Duration: 9 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9780062456953
Publisher: Harper 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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