Narrator Jefferson Mays delivers something between a conspiratorial and a conversational tone in his impeccable performance of this revelatory story. He seems to delight in the machinations that are part of The Plaza hotel's decidedly checkered history. Mays subtly evokes the crowded cast of guests--from the fictional Eloise to the Beatles--and owners--from Harry Black and Conrad Hilton to Donald Trump, all of whom yearned to possess the symbol of Manhattan's high life. Here Truman Capote threw his conspicuous one-off Black and White Ball in 1966. Sadly, the fate of the hotel became more tenuous with each mega-sale. Julie Satow's detailing of the various ownerships, colorful residents, and resolute staff members of the Plaza make for a tour de force of storytelling.
Pub Date: June 4, 2019
Duration: 11 hrs, 15 mins
DD ISBN: 9781549175930
Publisher: Hachette 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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