The Successor, Paddy Manning
The Successor, Paddy Manning
List: $22.95 | Sale: $16.07
Club: $11.47

The Successor
The High-Stakes Life of Lachlan Murdoch

Author: Paddy Manning

Narrator: David Linski

Unabridged: 12 hr 54 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 11/22/2022

Synopsis

The first major biography of Lachlan Murdoch, one of the world’s most powerful and enigmatic people—an epic saga of ruthless power plays and family battlesAs heir apparent to the first global media dynasty, Lachlan Murdoch has been waiting to run his father Rupert’s empire all his life. In this riveting first biography of a little-understood but hugely influential figure, acclaimed journalist Paddy Manning asks: Can the dutiful son hang onto the empire, or will the third generation of Murdoch moguls prove the last?Despite a life in the spotlight, Lachlan’s personality, politics, and business acumen remain obscure. Is he the ultra-conservative ideologue media reports maintain, or a free-thinking libertarian, as some friends suggest?Drawing on unprecedented access to Lachlan Murdoch’s inner circle, Manning explores Lachlan’s upbringing, his political beliefs, what we can expect from his time at the helm, and whether he has what it takes to chart a future for this century-old company.This is a book about the good, the bad, and the ugly of the global media world, and about America in the age of Trump and Murdoch. It is a book about power, apprenticeship, and succession.

About Paddy Manning

Paddy Manning is the author of several award-winning books, including biographies of Malcolm Turnbull and Nathan Tinkler. During almost twenty years in journalism he has worked for Crikey, the Sydney Morning Herald, Australian Financial Review, and The Australian and has won several awards for journalistic excellence. His book Body Count won the 2021 Victorian Premier’s Literary Award for nonfiction.

About David Linski

David Linski (a.k.a. David Ligudzinski and David Atlas) is a graduate of the prestigious National Institute of Dramatic Art in Sydney, Australia. He has numerous voice-over credits, an extensive theatrical résumé, and has starred in short and feature films both in the United States and Australia.

Reviews

Goodreads review by Jim on May 11, 2023

The Successor: The title of Paddy Manning’s unauthorised biography of Lachlan Murdoch, oldest son of media giant Rupert, is a conscious play on the immensely popular fiction TV series Succession, which itself is clearly based on the Murdoch dynasty. So if you’re familiar with the series, one of the f......more

Goodreads review by Bryn on November 29, 2022

Well-researched and well-written. Reminds me of Pamela Williams' Killing Fairfax, another critical read for those who want to understand Australia's media landscape. Plenty of detail regarding the history of News Corp and Fox Corp and the impact these businesses have on elections. Missing a meaty cri......more

Goodreads review by Alana on January 14, 2023

This unauthorised bio of the heir to News Corp and Fox is a compelling and page turning read - even though much of it focuses on business dealings (which is not my jam). I think the key here is how expertly the author weaves context - world news and events (phone hacking!), political turmoil, the pa......more

Goodreads review by David Allwood on January 27, 2023

The Murdoch’s are one of the most influential media-owning families in the world and, therefore, writing the biography of Lachlan Murdoch will always be difficult. Through fear of retribution, lawsuits, lack of public information, and extreme security and privacy, revealing the truth of the Murdoch’......more

Goodreads review by Matthew on November 09, 2022

Paddy Manning is a great author (I loved Boganaire!) and this is another easy to read biography. Paddy doesn’t get too bogged down in the details but highlights where necessary. Although I would have liked a little more detail around major business highlights, like the Disney deal. His subject for t......more

Quotes

“This is certainly a book for Succession fans…Very entertaining and instructive.” Financial Times (London)

“Manning pulls together the strands of the fifty-one-year-old media mogul’s life in a highly readable tome.” The Guardian (Australia)

“Given this is the man who likely already has operational oversight of a company that controls two-thirds of the Australian newspaper market, Australians deserve to know a lot more about him. They could learn a fair bit from The Successor.” ABC News

“As the first biography of the current head of a powerful media empire, The Successor is well worth reading.” The Conversation

“I’m grateful for this valuable addition to our understanding of someone we should all know more about.” Andrew Dodd, Inside Story

Awards

  • Financial Times Best Book of the Year
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