In 1978, the founders of Soundview Executive Book Summaries pioneered the concept of outlining the key points and ideas of full-length business books into quick and easy-to-read print summaries.

Launched in Connecticut, co-founder and publisher Cynthia Folino moved the company to Vermont in the early 1980s. In 1999, the company was acquired by Clement Publishing Group, a Concordville, Pennsylvania-based publisher of business-to-business newsletters and employee communications programs since 1919.

Throughout the years, Soundview has worked closely with the leading business book publishers of the world to offer print summaries of the thirty best business books of the year to its more than 50,000 worldwide subscribers. Always seeking to bring more business book information to its customers, Soundview launched an expanded version of its book review newsletter (now called Speed Reviews), and went online with its summary.com Web site in 1995. In March 2000, Soundview began offering audio-cassette and CD versions of its summaries. In September 2000, Soundview introduced the electronic version of its book summaries.