The Fourth Estate (G K Hall Large Print Book Series)

Although the work is billed as fiction, the personalities and events bear a striking resemblance to actual stories seen in headlines. So recognizable, in fact, that lawsuits were filed in an effort to halt publication of Archer's book altogether. Perhaps that can explain his relatively safe, methodical effort here. As usual, he has devised an absorbing and intricate plot, but the story follows the action forward so closely that there is little time allowed for insight into the character's motivations or for philosophical narrative. Still, Archer's considerable talent as a storyteller and the noteworthy performance by the very talented Jarvis make The Fourth Estate a compelling look at the cause and effect of ruthless corporate behavior and provides an intriguing peek behind closed boardroom doors. (Running time: six hours, four cassettes) --George Laney

Book Description
Adventure/SuspenseLarge Print Edition* A New York Times Bestseller* A Book-of-the-Month Club Alternate SelectionJeffrey Archer suggests that this bestseller is 80% fact and 20% fiction. But his descriptions of rival media moguls must hit the mark pretty accurately since Kevin Maxwell, son of the late media baron Robert Maxwell, tried to have it banned. In The Fourth Estate we meet Australian Keith Townsend whose sharp mind and cold-hearted business acumen helped forge one of the worlds biggest newspaper empires. His rival is Richard Armstrong, a courageous escapee of Nazi-occupied Eastern Europe. Both Brilliant and determined, here are two men whose quest for influence and power could propel their empires to the brink of financial disaster and catastrophe.