Book summaries can be a useful tool to those time-starved souls who want to keep up with business thought, trends, concepts, etc. I used to be an affiliate of Soundview's Executive Business Summaries service, but I no longer am (
want to know why?). Rather than just switching to a competing affiliate program, I thought it would be more useful to provide a listing of the various book summary options. So, below I first offer some freely available resources and then I provide a table summarizing the key features of each fee-based service as far as I can determine.
I'm sure the information I have provided isn't complete and will change over time, so if you have any comments or information to share, please do so.
Free Alternatives
In addition to the fee-based services summaries discussed below, the following free resources may be worth your consideration:
- BookJive Free Business Book Summaries Archive. Bookjive is a wiki site where you will find free summaries for an ever-increasing quantity of books that are written by actual readers. The site is attempting to create a community where people are able to share not only what they have read, but discuss the topics presented in each book in regards to how it helped, what it meant, where it took you, what it made you think about. For some books you will also find excerpts, reviews, price comparisons, related books, related resources, etc.
- Squeezed Books is basically a wiki site offering free business book summaries created collaboratively by anyone who cares to contribute; something akin to BookJive. Unfortunately, as I have been following the site, it seems to get more spam entries than real ones. Still, it might be worth a look and with some help might improve over time.
- Matt Vance has taken notes on books that he has read or listened to. Not all books are business in nature and some notes are much more complete than others, but he does have a fair number of business titles and they are organized by topic.
- WikiSummaries is another wiki site, but one that seems to have only a handful of titles at present.
- ReadItFor.me is a weekly podcast that aims to reveal the best takeaways and instantly applicable ideas from the world’s best business brains. It is free but requires a subscription (just name and email address requested).
- FleetSummaries.com is a site that publishes free business book summaries in PDF, MP3 audio, HTML, mind map, and e-reader formats on a weekly basis.
The Key Players
| Provider |
Price/Year |
Summaries / Year |
Access to Archives? |
Formats |
Free Sample? |
Group License? |
| Business Summaries (BizSum) |
$79.95 |
52 |
Yes |
PDF, PPT, PDA, Video, MP3, Mind Map, HTML |
Rich Dad, Poor Dad (PDF) |
Yes |
| |
Notes: offers a free Lite version which provides a 1- to 2-page book summary delivered once a month.
Offer a free 1 month trial with 2-day access pass to membership section.
Includes the following bonuses: Inside the Guru Mind Series (additional summaries on top business gurus); One-Year Subscription to BestSummaries (full subscription to inspirational book summary service); The Insider's Guide to Time Management, Outstanding Money-Saving Tips; Time Management Blueprint; Access to 597 Business Letters Package; Buried In Paper Audioclass |
| Audio-Tech |
$149.00 |
24 |
For a fee |
MP3/CD/Tape; PDF |
Form |
No |
| |
Notes: Each audio summary is 45 minutes in length; New subscribers receive 8 FREE Classic Audio Summaries selected by the top managers of America's leading companies as the most important business books of our time. |
| Soundview |
$119.00
(online); $149.00 (print);
$159.00 (audio);
$169.00 (print & audio) |
30 |
For a fee |
PDF, MP3, HTML, eBook, Palm, Print Copy, CD (CD, print copies are separate options) |
BNET
Form |
Yes |
| |
Notes: 3 free summaries with initial purchase; |
| Summaries.com |
$100.00 |
52 |
For a fee |
PDF |
No |
No |
| Business Book Review |
$145.00 |
40 |
Yes |
PDF, MP3 (for some, not all) |
No |
Yes |
| |
Notes: seems to be geared toward corporate subscriptions, though individual subscriptions are available |
| getAbstract |
Silver - $89.00;
Gold - $299.00 |
Silver – 32 (4 you choose);
Gold – 52 + full access to archives |
Silver – No;
Gold - Yes |
PDF, MP3, Palm, Pocket PC or Blackberry |
2 Free (listen to MP3 on site, have summary emailed) |
Yes |
| |
Notes: claims to be the world's largest collection, with over 4,500 book summaries and 500 new summaries every year |
| The Business Source |
$130.00 |
24* |
No |
Electronic and Audio but not sure formats |
Feakonomics
Sample Tip |
Yes |
| |
Notes: in addition to summaries a subscription gets you 24 sets of business tips from top business experts, plus 4 audio tracks from prominent business speakers (1 per quarter) |
| execuBooks |
$99.00 |
52 |
Yes |
PDF, Palm Reader, Microsoft Reader, Acrobat eBook Reader, Blackberry |
Built to Last |
Yes |
Subject(s): Products & Services, Productivity/Work Tips, Personal Improvement
Author(s): Jeff Blum
Posted: 2008-06-16
# Views: 34683
