Guinness: A Family Succession

by Arthur Edward Guinness, Antonia Hart

Growing up at Farmleigh, a country house outside Dublin, Arthur Edward Guinness – Ned for short – was fascinated by the secrets and legends that surrounded the early generations of his famous family of brewers.

Against a backdrop of epic and convulsive times in Ireland and Britain, he outlines the struggles and passions of his ancestors, who went from obscurity in Kildare to the pinnacle of Irish and British society.

Each generation confronted new challenges until the dramatic events when the author's great-great-grandfather bought out his glamorous older brother and floated Guinness on the stock exchange. Overnight Edward Cecil Guinness became Ireland's richest man.

This is a tale in which brewing genius, sibling rivalry, bounteous philanthropy and astonishing social mobility are interwoven with historic national events, including the Act of Union, Catholic Emancipation, the Famine, the Home Rule movement, the Dublin Lockout and ultimately Irish independence. It is the inside story, as told by Ned Guinness.

Genres: Audiobook, Nonfiction

Audible Audio

Published February 1, 2026

Reviews

[Mike Kennedy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Guinness: A Family Succession is the story of the legendary Guinness brewery told by one of the Guinnesses themselves. Arthur Edward Guinness, a descendant of the famous family, recounts how his ancestors built an extraordinary empire. He begins with Arthur Guinness in the 1750s and carries the narrative through the 1920s, covering nearly two centuries of growth and change.

Throughout the book, Guinness weaves together the history of the brewery, the family’s extensive philanthropy, and major moments in Irish history. From the Great Famine to the fight for Irish independence. It’s clear the story is deeply personal to the author and he does an admirable job bringing the past to life. He blends Irish history with the evolution of the brewery in a way that feels natural and engaging.

There were moments where the details got a bit dense with facts and figures, though that may be more noticeable in the audiobook. Perhaps they’re simply charts or tables in the physical edition. Still, the overall story of the Guinness brewery is fascinating and absolutely worth reading or listening to. Thanks to NetGalley, Bolinda Audio, and Arthur Edward Guinness for a free advanced readers copy for an honest review.

[Sarah Pitcher-hoffman · Rating 3 out of 5]

Definitely an interesting listen, and the narrator was wonderful. I enjoyed learning facts about the Guinness family, especially how they gave back to the community, building parks for children, donating land for open parks, making health care and midwife services available, not just for their workers, but for the greater community. It was interesting to learn about how they funded part of Shackelton's trip to Antarctica in 1909 and how a mountain there is named for Ned Guinness. I also liked hearing about places in Dublin and greater Ireland and England, and looking them up on the map - it made me want to visit. At times, the listing of places was difficult to follow, and I didn't know and really didn't care about particular streets, etc. Also, there were times when the narrator just listed facts and figures - for example, how much was made during multiple years. Perhaps this was harder because I was listening to it, but it definitely detracted from the overall story and contributed to why this is 3.5 stars, rounded down to 3. But it made me want to visit Ireland again, so that is a positive thing. Thanks to NetGalley and Bolinda Audio for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Whitney · Rating 3 out of 5]

Guinness: A Family Succession by Arthur Edward Guinness was an interesting audiobook recounting both the history of Guiness itself (the drink) as well as the family, and how they were involved in various points in history in Ireland. It felt overly rosy in the portrayal of the family as one that could do no wrong. At the same time, it felt like parts dragged which discussed Guiness in relation to Ireland history. Overall I enjoyed it but I wouldn't necessarily say it's at the top of my list to recommend to others. For those who particularly enjoy Guinness, and/or are interested in the history of Guinness in relation to the history Ireland, this is the book for you.

Thank you to Bolinda Audio and NetGalley for this ALC in exchange for my honest review.

[Brianna M. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guinness: A Family Succession by Arthur Edward Guinness ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I went into this book with the mindset that it was a history book. I personally loved the rich detail and excellent record keeping of the Guinness family that was evident in this book/audiobook. As someone who loves history and whose family still resides in Dublin, I loved hearing about some of the places I’ve seen and some of the local history that most likely affected my family directly. This was a good book/audiobook that I would recommend for anyone interested in learning more about the Guinness family and the city of Dublin from a historical standpoint.

Thank you to Arthur Guinness, Bolinda Audio, and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

[Carly · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded up. This felt like I was listening to a history textbook and not a story. It had potential but fell incredibly flat. There was so much time spent on debating whether or not someone had a wet nurse. Like they could’ve been one sentence not five minutes. There was also a portion that just started listing profits for each year that felt like it went on for ten minutes. It added nothing to the story. It could’ve been summarized and not just reading numbers. It was a very dry audiobook and I’m quite disappointed.

Thank you to Bolinda Audio, Arthur Edward Guinness; Antonia Hart, and NetGalley for this ALC.

[Lisa · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where this has been an interesting read I have a few issues with this book. It was written by one of the Guiness family members so it really is rather biases in how the family was portrayed - all in a positive light. Next, where the content itself is interesting, it reads like a history book making it hard to stay invested in the narrative. Finally, nothing that is in this book is new information and where disclosed in the prolog the history ends around the 1920's, there is more history to disclose and tell. In the end, this turned out to be an okay read for me.

[Jack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating history of Arthur Guinness and following generations up to the 1920s. Great insight into how the brewery started and its continued growth up to that point. The commercial, social, and political history of Ireland is also covered throughout that time period and also details how the Guinness family contributed to the development of local communities around James St. and the rest of the city. Written by a family member, the picture painted is all very positive so I would be interested to read further accounts by authors with less bias.

[MLD · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
I love Guinness beer! So I am a bit biased of why I wanted to read the book. It was just too long and I’m sure he had already edited quite a bit as he noted in the epilogue. I had to fast forward a bit in the audiobook version just because it went on, and on, and on. Fascinating history for anybody that is an Irish history buff, and wants to learn about this fascinating family empire.

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story is a bit dull in places. I did enjoy the history and the process of how this family became the powerhouse of the brewing industry. I just wanted a bit more.

[Esha MacDonald · Rating 3 out of 5]

In the spirit of St. Patrick’s Day this is narrated by the author and gives a really interesting account of one of the largest breweries and the legacies behind it.