DYNASTIES Fortunes and Misfortunes of the World's Great Family Businesses

Landes may be a Harvard professor emeritus, but this book on the most powerful family businesses isn't dry. As he tells the stories of the Rothschilds, Fords, and Rockefellers, Landes aims to capture individual personalities--both good and bad--while investigating the question of what makes family firms rise and fall. Alan Sklar's narration is understated, keeping the stories well paced but avoiding a salacious tone. He often makes it seem as if the listener is being told an anecdote by a friend. Although Landes includes business recommendations, the book is most successful at telling the stories behind the famous names. J.A.S. © AudioFile 2007, Portland, Maine [Published: OCT/ NOV 07]