This book is what journalists sometimes call a “tick-tock”: a narrative so relentlessly detailed that it becomes exhausting. Ellison, a former reporter at the JOURNAL, gives a scrupulously fair account of Rupert Murdoch’s courtship and eventual purchase of the paper. But the sheer number of characters is overwhelming, and it’s easy for listeners to forget which individual we’re hearing about and how he or she fits into the larger picture. (Audiobook listeners don’t have access to the dramatis personae that appears in the print version.) One gets the sense that Judith Brackley feels the same way: Her narration is unemotional, even plodding at times, and doesn’t do much to enliven the story.
Pub Date: May 1, 2010
Duration: 10 hrs
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
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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