POWER, INC. The Epic Rivalry Between Big Business and Government—And the Reckoning That Lies Ahead

Rothkopf takes listeners through a brief account of a millennium of European history in which wealthy private corporations wrestle with sovereign states for control and influence. Rothkopf focuses much of his attention on the ancient Swedish copper and timber interest Stora (later Stora Enso) as an example of the evolving international corporate form. Narrator William Hughes does a great job of bringing to life a fact-filled and, occasionally, meandering text. His voice is always clear, and his pacing always good. Rothkopf’s careful chronicle of centuries of struggle makes a good story but also makes it difficult to argue for the imminent reckoning his title promises. F.C. © AudioFile 2012, Portland, Maine [Published: APRIL 2012]