PRIVATE EMPIRE ExxonMobil and American Power

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. W.M. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: AUGUST 2012]