Mr. Dobelli, the driving force behind the popular business book summary website getAbstract, is a writer in his own right.

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That sentiment was echoed in the Federal Reserve's beige book, an anecdotal summary of economic conditions across the central bank's 12 regional districts.

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And from the government: the Labor Department's Producer Price Index (inflation), the Commerce Department's new housing starts report and the Fed's Beige Book -- its summary of economic conditions region by region.

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It's not enough if you say, for example, that we've offered a health care plan and I look up -- this is just under the section that you've just provided me, or the book that you just provided me -- summary of GOP health care reform bill: The GOP plan will lower health care premiums for American families and small businesses, addressing America's number-one priority for health reform.

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But an entire book is much harder to digest than a plot summary.

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If you've ever wanted an elegant summary of what makes Spelunky feel so special, the whole Off Book episode awaits after the break.

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In summary, we think we have a get-rich-slowly, safe, defensive long book and a get-rich-quickly, massively over-valued short book.

FORBES: Whitney Tilson