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What It’s Like to Publish a Book That Was a Decade in the Making
Joy and relief as “In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio” hits bookshelves
I’m posting on the release date for my book with Andrew Lo of MIT’s Sloan School of Management, In Pursuit of the Perfect Portfolio: The Stories, Voices, and Key Insights of the Pioneers Who Shaped the Way We Invest, Princeton University Press. What’s it like to have a book published that was a decade in the making? Lots of emotions including, joy, relief, excitement, and even a tinge of sadness, as the book finally hits the bookshelves and an incredible journey ends. It’s been a heck of a ride and I’ve learned a lot along the way. I’ll describe how the book came to be, the writing and interviewing process, the publishing process, and what’s next.
Genesis
The kernel of an idea of a book started in mid-2010 when I was preparing for a year off of teaching, on a sabbatical. An earlier time in my career when I had a year with no teaching obligations, I decided to write a textbook, Financial Management: A Primer. It was a good experience, but I wanted to do something different this time and write for a broader audience.
The easiest part was coming up with a title, perhaps the one constant throughout this process. The basic premise was to write…
