From Africa to Yuban, the history of the power of coffee comes to us in a fascinating audiobook guaranteed to teach us a lot about the global brew. Jonathan Marosz's deep, determined voice flows smoothly through a well-researched history, which is peppered with enough trivia to make it enlightening and memorable. However, he stumbles with the abundant Spanish words, names, and places from Central and South America, losing any opportunity for cultural authenticity. The effect of coffee on slavery, politics, war, economy, crime, and disease will convince even the most doubtful of the importance of knowing more about the addictive stimulant once advertised as "good to the last drop."
Pub Date: Jan. 22, 2001
Duration: 18 hrs
Publisher: Books on Tape
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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