Kiplinger Summary

Kiplinger's Summaries Summary Review
Our Rating
Site Format Financial audio book summary downloads. This site is targetting the financial niche only. They have print as well as audio summaries.
Free Trial? No. Kiplinger's Summaries does offer a free download of their best-selling summary - The Real Warren Buffett by James O'Loughlin.
Pricing From $109 per year to $159 per year depending upon if you want online access only or audio CDs, print, and online access.
Positives One of the only sites of its kind, taking care of the financial book summary market. Less than $10 per month for the subscription is a good deal. 100% money-back guarantee is attractive. You also get three free summaries with a subscription to any plan.
Negatives Only 12 "issues" per year, without the ability to listen to what you want, when you want it.
Overall Kiplinger's Financial Book Summaries are the perfect tool for busy people who want to make the most of their money. You can get the best out of financial books in about 20 minutes - perfect for those people on the go.

Complete Review of Kiplinger's Summaries

Since 1978, financial book summaries have been in existence, and Kiplinger has been behind them from day one. Over 40,000 subscribers enjoy the benefit of having fast and practical information from the world's best financial books at their fingertips.

Through a partnership with Soundview Executive Book Summaries in 2006, the largest financial book summary service was formed. The Kiplinger Letter, launched in 1923, remains the longest continually published newsletter in the United States. It's safe to say these guys know a thing or two about financial literature.

The Site

The site is very easy to navigate, and the plans and pricing are laid out in an easy-to-understand manner. The main navigation is on the left-hand side, and includes a free summary, FAQs, and upcoming titles.

You can listen to a complete summary of an entire book in around 20 minutes. This is perfect if you're a busy executive on the run - if you're looking for an enjoyable eight hours listening to an entire book you probably need to look elsewhere. However, according to the site "a Carnegie-Mellon Study showed that readers retain more of the content when they read a well written summary than when they read a book."

What Do You Really Get?

If you decide to subscribe, you are getting summaries of the most popular financial books. Here's what your subscription will get you:

  • 12 issues of Kiplinger's Financial Book Summaries for a total of 24 eight-page summaries of the best financial books of the year in an easy-to-read article format.
  • If chosen, 1 audio CD each month containing 2 book summaries and reviews of additional financial books of note, many read by the book's author.
  • These financial book summaries include the essential information in each book to help you profit from the insights of today's leading financial authors.
  • Kiplinger Summary editors ensure you will receive the best new books from the world's leading authorities on the topics that make you wealthy and wise.
  • Topics apply to your business as well as your personal life: Investing. Money management. Real estate. Insurance. Taxes. Budgeting.

Available Formats

There are three formats available for Kiplinger's Summaries:

  1. Online: 12 monthly issues (that's 24 summaries) delivered right to your personal Online Library. All summaries can be accessed in PDF, HTML, eBook, Palm, and MP3 formats for printing, reading on screen, downloading to most PDAs, or listening to on MP3 players. You will receive an email each month when the new summaries have been published.
  2. Print: 12 monthly printed issues (24 summaries) delivered to your mailbox.
  3. Audio + Print: 12 monthly issues (24 summaries) delivered to your mailbox. Includes the printed and CD formats of the summaries, as well as free access to the online versions in your Online Library.

Plans & Pricing

Online $109 per year.
Print & Online $139 per year.
Audio (CD), Print & Online $159 per year.