800-CEO-READ Blog

What a great title for a blog post!

don't worry a lot about comment volume. The quiet, drip drip drip of intelligent and useful insight you guys provide is absolutely priceless.

Don't become controversial, I say. Just stay useful.

Yeah, what he (SG...wow, i just realized Seth has the initials of my favorite guitar) said. But I would like a little more thought provoking original material revolving around a topic/idea/event. most postings point to essays, books, excerpts...informative postings. I'm not saying become an opinion blog, but ideas and topics that are difficult to reel in are quite useful to me.

I'd like to see less collecting of business titles (which, really, is glorified RSS-fodder we can get from a number of different sources) and more investigation of emerging business thought.

Remember: you're not selling news on business publishing, you're selling news on business. Nobody cares about what's published; they care about how this knowledge can grow their business and improve their jobs and lives. So, less summarizing, more synthesizing.

No one has time to read all of these books, and too many titles just points out that lack. Analysis would both provoke conversation and stir greater interest, which would in turn sell more books.

You need to ask pointed questions about the books you read and review. You need to make every book review an opportunity to have a conversation.

What is the operating theory of the book? Why is it, or is it not a good theory? Does the theory hold water in your reader's industries? Why is this author credible, or not? Question the author's and the theory's assumptions. Follow the logic of the theory out to the future - is it something that seems to work in the short term, but is questionable in the longer term?

Make the review challenging. Make it something that makes the reader sit up and want to respond.

I read this blog every day, looking at the latest in business titles, but I have neglected to comment. As a previous commenter pointed out, perhaps following every book review or list, a related question could be asked about the book and its content. Such questions could serve to stimulate discussion on the topic or the author's viewpoint and thesis.

In the case of the lists, perhaps invite readers to point out ommissions from the list. Another possibility would be to ask readers if they think the lists are over representative of a specific business book genre.

I still enjoy the blog. Contra an earlier comment, I don't want general insight on business -- that's in a million places. I like the focus on the business books industry.

Love the posts, read them everyday. I rarely comment, because usually my opinion isn't relevant to the topic. That said, I do recall commenting on a post that highlighted the lack of female writers on the top 25 biz books list...observations of that nature lend themselves to comment and discourse.

I don't see a need for change, I enjoy the daily 800CEORead blog. Ask more questions and perhaps you'll get more comments.

This blog is really useful for finding business books; there are few reviewing sources for business books, and I use the reviews to find stuff to read (personally) and occasionally to help develop the collection at the library. I would like more reviews, even some older works.

I would also like links to articles that are critical of business books (like the one you provided on Good to Great).

Better silence than trolls and inane nattering. We are here, we are listening, and we appreciate your efforts!