In 1616 Nathaniel Courthope claimed the small island of Run for the English East India Company and spent the next four years defending it against the Dutch who controlled the remaining Spice Islands--the only place in the world that nutmeg grew and also an excellent source of mace, cloves, and peppers. British narrator Stephen Thorne has a pleasant and agreeable voice. He conveys both the excitement of beginning a voyage to the East Indies and the somber realities of disease, torture, and death that accompanied such undertakings. The author gives meaning to the seemingly endless ventures by tying events in the East Indies to events in the New World. After listening to NATHANIEL’S NUTMEG, you will never again take the spices in your kitchen cabinet for granted.
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2000
Duration: 12 hrs, 15 mins
Publisher: ISIS Audio Books
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
GENERAL HISTORY | GENERAL BUSINESS | BUSINESS | MODERN | WORLD | HISTORY
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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