Coll starts with the Exxon Valdez accident, delves briefly into ExxonMobil’s past, then examines the company intensively from, roughly, the 1980s on. Malcolm Hillgartner narrates with intelligence at an excellent pace and generally with precision, taking care with phrasing, so that the meaning is made clear and is reinforced. These are much appreciated qualities for a book that’s sometimes dry and complex. Hillgartner does occasionally misplace the emphasis in phrases, though the meaning usually remains clear. Also, he characteristically mispronounces “ul” sound—giving readings like “mooltiple.” To indicate accents (Russian, British) or famous speakers (Bill Clinton), he modifies his accent, usually successfully, except that his British accent is weak. But these small matters aside, Hillgartner, without obvious effort, delivers this book to the listener in a way that reading print cannot.
Pub Date: May 1, 2012
Duration: 24 hrs, 30 mins
Publisher: Penguin 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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