After eight years in a backseat role, Howard Schultz returned as CEO of Starbucks in 2008. To reverse the company’s unprecedented decline, Schultz resolved to reinvigorate Starbucks with the heart of the coffee retailer he had developed more than 20 years earlier. ONWARD is Schultz’s recollection of the tough decisions and stalwart vision that marked the turnaround. Stephen Bowlby’s blunt, hard-driving narration is well matched to Schultz’s direct account. Bowlby portrays Schultz’s passion for the soul of Starbucks: unwavering commitment to the customer’s coffee experience. He excels at voicing Schultz’s confidence and occasional insensitivity to subordinates. This work should be inspirational for managers who seek to anchor daily decisions with guiding principles.
Pub Date: Feb. 4, 2011
Duration: 12 hrs, 45 mins
DD ISBN: 9781611744927
Publisher: HighBridge 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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