What Is It About Business Books?

There seems to be less and less coverage of business books in the mainstream media. Major newspapers like The Boston Globe no longer run reviews. Fortune covers lifestyle books at best.

It seems if you are starting from scratch, you avoid the genre as well. After a two year wait, Portfolio, the new business magazine from Cond Nast, hit newsstands yesterday. Advertising Age got a sneak peak at the inaugural issue and said:

Book reviews skip management and leadership stuff in favor of fiction, art books, and whatever else might appeal to readers. We look forward to reading "The Kid Pays for the Picture," about Ryan Kavanaugh, the 32-year-old middleman bringing private-equity and hedge-fund money to Hollywood.

The next issue of the magazine runs in September, giving time for feedback from readers and advertisers. I am waiting for my issue in the mail, so I'll reserve judgment for another post. It sounds like I will be disappointed though.