Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built by Duncan Clark
The readers can download Alibaba: The House That Jack Ma Built Audiobook for free via Audible Free Trial.
Summary
An engrossing, insider's account of how a teacher built one of the world's most valuable companies-rivaling Walmart & Amazon-and forever reshaped the global economy.
I thought the book struck a good balance in terms of the content. It wasn't overly detailed nor too superficial. The story progresses at a fairly brisk pace, starting even before Jack's career. I've always been intrigued by how someone from a rural background could rise to become such a significant figure, so it was gratifying to have my questions answered. The book provided a satisfying glimpse into who Jack really is, his principles, and his perspective on the world.
This book feels more like a promotional piece rather than a genuine biography. I reached my limit after just two chapters. The author seems to hold back from any criticism towards the subject of the biography. While the author does mention criticisms from others, they go on to counter each one, which becomes tiresome pretty fast.
This book is amazing and the story is captivating. I'm aware that there are many Chinese names in it, and it's understandable that a non-Chinese narrator may struggle with pronunciations. However, it's unacceptable when the narrator mispronounces basic terms like RMB (which should be pronounced as ren-min-bee, or even just as R. M. B.) and well-known Chinese tech giants like Youku (pronounced as yo-koo, not yau-ko). Frankly, this narrator is terrible as they didn't even make an effort to get it right.
It would be better if the person narrating this audiobook had some knowledge of Chinese, even just a little bit. The incorrect pronunciation of Chinese words in this audio version can be quite distracting and irritating.
I really enjoyed the narrator's performance, but it would be even better if he could put in some extra effort when it comes to Chinese pinyin. For instance, he pronounced "Shenzhen" as "Sez chuan" and "Li Keqiang" as "Li qi kwan," along with several other mistakes.
When I was about to download this book, I came across numerous negative reviews that were griping about certain aspects of the book. While I can see where they're coming from, it didn't bother me personally. As a Brazilian, I wasn't too concerned about the Chinese pronunciation of certain words. If you're expecting a Chinese language course, you might want to look elsewhere.
However, if you're seeking a straightforward account of Alibaba's journey and how it evolved into a massive company, then this book is perfect for you. It's solely focused on providing insights into Alibaba, rather than delving deeply into Jack Ma's mindset and motivations, as the title suggests.
Hey guys, it would be great if you could find a narrator who can actually pronounce Chinese names and words correctly, or at the very least consistently. It's quite frustrating when the same name is pronounced differently multiple times within just a few minutes. And when the narrator can't even pronounce a country's currency properly, it's pretty clear that they're not the right fit for the job. I have nothing against the narrator personally, but it's just not a good idea to have them read books that require pronunciations in Putonghua.
Other than that, it's an interesting story (as others have mentioned) and a decent enough read.
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