Audiobooks narrated by Rosalind Ashford

Executive Presence 2.0: Leadership in an Age of Inclusion

In this updated and expanded edition of her celebrated book Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success, one of the world’s most influential business thinkers reveals the qualities essential to leadership in our fast-changing, post-pandemic world. Some are timeless (confidence, decisiveness), some are brand new (the ability to command Zoom), and all are game-changers. Nearly a decade ago, economist Sylvia Ann Hewlett cracked the code of executive presence (EP). Drawing on complex data and in-depth interviews with senior executives from sectors as different as finance and fashion, she demonstrated that EP is a potent mix of gravitas, communication, and appearance. Executive Presence became a classic. Translated into seven languages, it’s helped tens of thousands of ambitious, accomplished professionals to fast-track their careers. Chuck Robbins (CEO of Cisco), and Thasunda Brown Duckett (CEO, TIAA), are among the leaders who recommend this book for any up-and-comer seeking to rise through the ranks and do something extraordinary with their lives. But EP has evolved. Black Lives Matter, the #MeToo movement, and a global pandemic have changed the leadership equation. But how? To answer that question, in 2022, Hewlett embarked on a second round of quantitative and qualitative research, targeting seasoned leaders and thirty-something-year-old executives at the cutting edge of the new economy (fin-tech, gaming, media). Her findings are timely as new executives find their feet in a post-pandemic world. Hewlett demonstrates that in 2023 leaders worldwide seek to promote high-performing men and women who exude confidence but also project authenticity and inclusivity. They’re also intent on advancing those who excel at leading remote teams and demonstrate a command of social media. It’s no coincidence that Eddie Glaude, Amanda Gorman, and Gustavo Dudamel are stars of this new edition of Executive Presence and the usual suspects. Hewlett’s most potent message, ten years ago and now, is that EP is eminently learnable. You don’t need to have the voice of James Earl Jones, the communication skills of Steve Jobs, or the athleticism of Michelle Obama to ace EP. You merely have to arm yourself with the tools and tactics contained in these pages. Supplemental enhancement PDF accompanies the audiobook.

Sylvia Ann Hewlett (Author), Rosalind Ashford (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Naked Laird

Lords and Ladies can make strange bedfellows . . . The viscount's house party promises to be one of the season's highlights, and Lord and Lady Kilgorn are delighted to attend. If only the long-estranged couple had realized they were both invited-and assigned to the same bedchamber . . . Lady Kilgorn did not travel miles from her comfortable home to share a too-small room with the handsome Scottish scoundrel she'd married far too young-and far too eagerly! And the last thing Lord Kilgorn needs is to be teased by the sight of his ever more beautiful wife! But as the weekend progresses, the pair will discover there are some fires even time cannot put out . . . Contains mature themes.

Sally Mackenzie (Author), Rosalind Ashford (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Naked Gentleman

He Couldn't Refuse John Parker-Roth cannot believe that marriage is necessary for his happiness. He would far rather pursue his interest in horticulture, but if one day he should find a female who shared his passion for flowers-a level-headed, calm sort of female-he might reconsider. Certainly the lovely young woman who has just tumbled into his lap will not do, as she possesses neither of those admirable qualities. Yet Miss Margaret Peterson does have many things in her favor. To begin with, she is a true English rose, blushing a delectable pink. And she is not entirely clothed. Her full mouth begs to be kissed. If only she would not wriggle so . . . oh, dear. He cannot ignore the sudden vision of her in his bed, but he must. What? Is Meg actually asking him to kiss her? Well, well, well. John Parker-Roth is a gentleman, first and foremost. And he cannot turn down a lady's request . . . Contains mature themes.

Sally Mackenzie (Author), Rosalind Ashford (Narrator)

Audiobook

Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Merit and Success

Do you exude confidence and credibility? Can you command a room? Sylvia Ann Hewlett, one of the world's most influential business thinkers, cracks the code of Executive Presence (EP) for men and women intent on winning the next plum assignment and doing something extraordinary with their lives. You might have the qualifications to be considered for your dream job, but you won't get far unless you can signal that you're "leadership material" and that you "have what it takes." Professionals are judged on presence as well as on performance. Using a wealth of hard data, including a new nationwide survey and dozens of focus groups, Hewlett reveals EP to be a dynamic mix of three things: how you act (gravitas), how you speak (communication), and how you look (appearance). She also draws on in-depth interviews with a wide selection of admired leaders to reveal how they embody and deploy key elements of EP. This book is immensely practical. Hewlett teases out tactics that can help you raise your game and close the gap between merit and success. She offers the unvarnished advice you won't get from supportive friends and tackles head-on such touchy subjects as too-tight clothing and too-shrill voices. She shows how the standards for EP vary for men, women, multicultural, and LGBT employees, and she shares how to get meaningful feedback from politically correct bosses intent on avoiding the real issues. The good news is that EP is eminently teachable. You can learn how to "show teeth" while remaining likable, and you can teach yourself how to dress appropriately while staying true to yourself. You don't have to be born with the voice of James Earl Jones or the looks of Angelina Jolie to hurdle the EP bar. With hard facts and vivid examples, Hewlett shows you how to ace EP and fully realize your unique potential, no matter who you are, no matter where you work. ***Please contact Member Services for additional documents***

Sylvia Ann Hewlett (Author), Rosalind Ashford (Narrator)

Audiobook

Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932: A Novel

A richly imagined and stunningly inventive literary masterpiece of love, art, and betrayal, exploring the genesis of evil, the unforeseen consequences of love, and the ultimate unreliability of storytelling itself Paris in the 1920s. It is a city of intoxicating ambition, passion, art, and discontent, where louche jazz venues like the Chameleon Club draw expats, artists, libertines, and parvenus looking to indulge their true selves. It is at the Chameleon where the striking Lou Villars, an extraordinary athlete and scandalous cross-dressing lesbian, finds refuge among the club's loyal denizens, including the rising photographer Gabor Tsenyi, the socialite and art patron Baroness Lily de Rossignol, and the caustic American writer Lionel Maine. As the years pass, their fortunes, and the world itself, evolve. Lou falls in love and finds success as a race car driver. Gabor builds his reputation with vivid and imaginative photographs, including a haunting portrait of Lou and her lover, which will resonate through all their lives. As the exuberant twenties give way to darker times, Lou experiences another metamorphosis that will warp her earnest desire for love and approval into something far more sinister: collaboration with the Nazis. Told in a kaleidoscope of voices, Lovers at the Chameleon Club, Paris 1932 evokes this incandescent city with brio, humor, and intimacy. A brilliant work of fiction and a mesmerizing read, it is Francine Prose's finest novel yet.

Francine Prose (Author), Edoardo Ballerini, Geoffrey Cantor, Maggi-Meg Reed, Maggie-Meg Reed, Nicola Barber, Rosalind Ashford, Suzanne Toren (Narrator)

Audiobook

The Highlander

Anora, the shepherdess, finds a half-naked man in her bed, so what's a woman living alone in a cottage in the Lowlands of Scotland supposed to do? Prod him with her pitchfork to chase him off! Only the man is not just a traveler seeking her bed for a rest-but a wounded Highlander, who fights back, swinging his sword! Niall MacNeill is searching for a Frenchwoman of nobility to escort to his cousin's castle for safekeeping, when he and his friend, Gunnolf, are attacked by another Highland clan, seeking the same woman. The other Highlanders wish to sell her to the highest bidder-English or French-it does not matter. Niall takes refuge in a sheepherder's cottage to heal up from his wounds and discovers the shepherdess taking care of him may very well be the woman he seeks. He has no intention of doing anything but what his cousin requests of him-ensure her safety on their way to Craigly Castle-but when the lass so bravely wields her pitchfork at him, he is thinking of other, more interesting possibilities.

Terry Spear (Author), Rosalind Ashford (Narrator)

Audiobook

Audiobooks Narrated by Rosalind Ashford