Bump on a Blog

Blogs today are where websites were 10 years ago: Everybody's heard of them and many of us have seen them, but few of us consider blogging a serious business tool. Entrepreneurial trainer and veteran blogger Andy Wibbels makes clear, however, that blogs can work as hard as websites while requiring less technical savvy and financial commitment. By the time you get through Blogwild! (Portfolio, $19.95), you'll know how to use one to communicate with customers and drive marketing efforts, and you'll be well on the way to having your own blog up and running. Wibbels' step-by-step instructions clearly and cleverly fit the bill for entrepreneurs who are curious about the electronic communications medium of the moment.

Breaking the Cycle
Have you ever said, "That's the way we do it here"? When things go wrong, do you blame markets or other external factors? If so, you may be infected with the "virus of arrogance," a cocksure insularity that leads thriving companies into decline and failure. In The Second Cycle (Wharton School Publishing, $27.99), author Lars Kolind shows how to see if you've got the bug and provides tools to eradicate infections before they settle in. Some advice may sound familiar, but Kolind's experience as a turnaround CEO gives his warning the ring of truth, and his solutions are workable and worthwhile.