Business Book Awards
Since 2007, the Porchlight Business Book Awards have recognized the best books in the business genre every year, and all the people who help bring them to life.
2018 Business Book Awards
During this time of unprecedented inequality, Giridharadas challenges the viewpoint that one can address societal ills while preserving the system that brought them about. If philanthropists really want to address poverty, why do the businesses that made their foundations’ fortunes fight against workers rights? If CEOs advocate for stable democracies overseas, why do they avoid the taxes that would strengthen our government at home? If entrepreneurs bill themselves as the ultimate “changemakers” in our society, why do they claim that fundamental change in our public institutions is impossible? Laying bare the myths and failings of elites across the political spectrum, Winners Take All provides a clarion call to challenge the current power structures and re-engage in the habit of democracy.
2018 Business Book Awards
Our 2018 Winner
Flatiron Room, NYC
Guests arriving
The 2018 Shortlist
So You Want to Talk About Race
by Ijeomo Oluo (Seal Press)
Mismatch
by Kat Holmes (MIT Press)
Silicon States
by Lucie Greene (Counterpoint Press)
Jack Covert, Seth Godin, and Carol Grossmeyer
We believe in books.
Andrew Koenig, Kim Petty, and Dylan Schleicher
Crowd at the Flatiron
Peter Knox
Wendy Wolf and Rebecca Schwartz
Our staff meeting new friends
Congratulating authors and publishers on their amazing work
Priya Parker & Dan Pink
A room packed with book lovers
Lucie Green & Andy Hunter
Meeting new & old friends
Rebecca Schwartz
The awards begin!
Seth Godin receives the Jack Covert Award for Contribution to the Business Book Industry
Our founder, Jack Covert
Seth Godin & Helene Godin
Celebrating the winners
Priya Parker
Priya reads her husband Anand's acceptance speech via text from London.
Our Business Book of the Year
Top honors went to WINNERS TAKE ALL by Anand Giridharadas
About the Awards
We believe that books can help create more humane, diverse, modern, and effective businesses, stronger communities, and a better world. The Porchlight Business Book Awards exist to recognize the best books published every year, and all the people who helped bring them to life. While books we choose are not always what most would consider a traditional business book, they are the books we believe are the most important for businesses to consider.
Eligibility
Any business book originally published in 2019 and available in the United States. Books must be submitted by the publisher, agent, or author of the book.
Judging Criteria
Each book is judged on the originality and applicability of its ideas and quality of the writing.
Categories
Awards are given in the following eight categories:
- Leadership & Strategy
- Management & Workplace Culture
- Marketing & Sales
- Innovation & Creativity
- Personal Development & Human Behavior
- Current Events & Public Affairs
- Narrative & Biography
- Big Ideas & New Perspectives
Deadline
Call for entries will open on August 26, 2019. All submissions must be postmarked by October 7, 2019. The longlist will be announced in November, and the shortlist in December. The Business Book of the Year will be announced in January 2020.
Ready to submit a book?
The 2019 Call for Entries will be open next week on Monday, August 26th.
FAQ
Book Awards
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How much does it cost to submit a book?
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How many books can I enter?
Each publisher or imprint may enter up to 30 books.
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Which books are eligible for submission?
Any business book with a U.S. publication date in 2019.
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I am a business book reader, and I want to submit my favorite book. Can I do that?
Books must be submitted by the publisher, agent, or author of the book.
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Can I submit ebooks?
Only if a book is not available in physical format.
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When is the submission deadline?
All books must be entered online and review copies postmarked by Monday, October 7, 2019.
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Who judges the awards?
The Porchlight Editorial Team serves as the awards jury.
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Finished copies of my book will not be ready until after the submission deadline. Should I wait to send you those?
No, as our jury starts reading books before the deadline. Please send bound manuscripts (loose sheets not accepted) or galleys until the time that you can send the two finished copies.
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Can I save my entry form and finish later?
Unfortunately, you cannot. Please have all the required information on hand before you start the form.
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Is there anything I should know about shipping the review copies?
Please do not use paper-filled mailers, as they fall apart easily.
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How can I get the entry form to you if I am sending books directly from a warehouse or other third party?
You can either print them out and mail them separately or email them as a PDF to Blyth at blyth@porchlightbooks.com
or
Porchlight Book Company
c/o Blyth Meier, Marketing Director
544 S. 1st Street
Milwaukee, WI 53204 -
Can review copies be returned to me?
Unfortunately, they cannot.
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If the author is not available to attend the awards party, is their book still eligible?
Yes! While we love to have as many longlist authors as possible at our event, we realize that schedules are hard to coordinate. The availability of the author or publisher for the party will have no effect on the outcome of the awards.
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When will the awards be announced?
The Awards Longlist will be announced in November, the Shortlist in December, and the Book of the Year on January 16, 2020.
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Who has won in previous years?
Last year, our Business Book of the Year was Anand Giridharadas’ Winners Take All. You can see our full Awards history here.
How can we help?
Blyth Meier, our Marketing Director, is happy to answer your questions.