Even those who aren't generally interested in economics will enjoy this historical look at wealth and power in the early twentieth century. Four magnates, each with the power of his country's federal reserve, controlled the world's finances. Their dealings in regulating the cost of currency among their respective countries became influential in causing the Great Depression. Stephen Hoye hones in on the author's brutal use of satire in attacking the four lords' ascendancy. Since the story deals with England, France, Germany, and the United States, Hoye's multilingual talents add depth to the characters and their milieus, adding an extra reason to enjoy his performance. Brimming with subtle humor and abundant detail, this audiobook is smartly enhanced by the narrator’s skill and will be enjoyed by connoisseurs of both history and economics.
Pub Date: April 1, 2009
Duration: 18 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Tantor Media
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
Golden Voice narrator Cassandra Campbell explores Mattel's dark side in this unauthorized history that exposes spying, copyright infringement, and the true origins of Barbie. Hitt's investigative reporting asserts that Barbie's creator, Ruth Handler, was often ruthless. Handler claimed that the inspiration for Barbie came from her daughter, but Barbie was a near-identical copy of a German doll that was created four years prior to Barbie's debut. Hitt argues that while Handler faced sexism herself, she chose corporate profit over supporting women and minorities. Campbell invokes emotion where appropriate, as when she uses a barbed tone for Handler's remarks about people she hated and a flat voice to capture her matter-of-fact, uncaring attitude. Campbell's pace and tone let the writing shine.
Pub Date: Dec. 2, 2025
Duration: 12 hrs
DD ISBN: 9781797193847
Publisher: Simon & Schuster Audio
Review Posted Online: Jan. 22, 2026
© Copyright 2026 Kirkus Media LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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