The Lehman Trilogy

A Novel

By: Stefano Massini, Richard Dixon - translator

Narrated by: Edoardo Ballerini

Magnificent in scope, internationally lauded, and transcendent, the novel in verse that inspired the sensational West End and Off-Broadway play of the same name. The Lehman Trilogy follows the epic rise and fall of three generations of that infamous family and through them tells the story of American ambition and hubris.

After leaving his native Bavaria, Henry Lehman arrives in America determined to make a better life. Sensing opportunity in the Deep South, he opens a textile shop in Alabama, laying the foundation for a dynasty that will come to dominate and define modern capitalism. Emanuel and his brother Mayer begin investing in anything and everything that will turn a profit, from cotton to coal to railroads to oil to airplanes - even at the expense of the very nation that forged them.

Spanning three generations and 150 years, The Lehman Trilogy is a moving epic that dares to tell the story of modern capitalism through the saga of the Lehman brothers and their descendants. Surprising and exciting, brilliant and inventive, Stefano Massini’s masterpiece - like Hamilton - is a story of immigration, ambition, and success; it is the story of America itself from a daring and original perspective.

Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying PDF will be available in your Audible Library along with the audio.

©2020 Stefano Massini (P)2020 HarperAudio

Drama and Poetry

A three-generation tale expertly told in verse. I don’t think that I would have gotten as much out of the text if I had read the book rather than listened to this exquisitely read audiobook. Bravo!

Worth a listen!

Interesting historical time-line. The narrator was good at keeping the characters straight. nut bombastic at times.

Uniformly Interesting, but NOT Great

I’ve now “read” the novel and seen the play.

I find the story interesting and worth the effort, but I do not find either to be excellent.

I get the multi-generational story with great success in the early generations, conventional huge success in the next generations, and then lost generations as the years pass, with busted up marriages and straying ways.

The story sorta bores me after this. But here it is in a Jewish version. Not sure what I’m to carry away with it. The drama is very predictable, I fear. One day maybe the plot will go in directions I wouldn’t have guessed.

I’m glad I’ve read it, but not overly so.

I realize the actual and final downfall of Lehman Bank was due to the financial crisis of the late 2000s. Mighta been worth it to go the extra steps to tie the decline of the Lehmans to the later final decline of the institution.

Oh well - a Kaddish and out is sufficient.

Flawless

A terrific tour de force of great writing, perfect translation, and magnificent performance. I both read and listened to this book, and was really taken with the narration which so captured the spirit of this book.

Brilliant

A story of America, of the immigrant experience over generations.

Amazing narration. Perfectly captures the voices of fathers, sons, grandsons.

Poetic and hypnotic

As it was originally a 5-hour stage play, this novel is meant to be listened to. I was lucky enough to see the Tony-winning Broadway production, and Edoardo Ballerini's narration brilliantly transports listeners into the worlds of the Lehman family in the same way. I can't imagine how an Italian playwright chose to write this story - in many ways a history of American capitalism, though certainly with some omissions - but I'm grateful he did. Grateful also to Richard Dixon's masterful translation for bringing Massini's artistry and insights to us in English.

One thing to be aware of; The story essentially ends in 1969 with the death of the last Lehman to be actively involved in the firm, with a short chapter and an epilogue taking us to the bankruptcy of the company in 2008. But this is fitting - it was never really the story of a business in the first place. :-)

Marvelous

It is a wonderful overview of making business and developing it to its uppermost limit.

Astounding!

This is absolutely a masterpiece in every way. Edoardo Ballerini is so supremely talented and he is the only person who could’ve performed this incredible work of art. I am a huge fan of his, and he tops himself every time, but this is an absolute tour de force. I am in awe of this performance, and of this book.

cut by 33% without loss

too repetitive, one would wish far more content than irritating prose. surely history is interesting enough that we need not hear every phrase thrice

Unbelievably good and poetic

I can’t believe the author made this book so poetic and inspiring. Incredible masterwork. I couldn’t put it down.