This is one Book you can judge by its cover. A portrait of novelist Tom Wolfe and names of writers like Anna Quindlen and Wally Lamb are appropriate previews of what lies inside the premier October/November 1998 issue. Filled with biographical articles and insights on news in the book industry, Book is appropriately subtitled "the magazine for the reading life."

It takes its spot as the only literary magazine in this ranking because of its literary nature and timely release due to the recent resurgence in reading's popularity as a favorite pastime. While the rise of the Internet has raised questions about print's future, millions of readers remain devoted to their books.

"Book is much more than a book review," Editor Jerome Kramer explains. "It's full of news and features for people who are passionate about the experience of reading. We don't just cover bookswe also cover the stories behind the books on the shelf."

That suits Book's readership of older, affluent adults who purchase books for their personal collections and as gifts. Publisher Mark Gleason of New Jersey's West Egg Communications hopes the magazine will help these individuals continue to grow in their enjoyment of reading.

"I just started thinking, why isn't there a magazine for book readers that does what other magazines do for the music business and the movie business?" Gleason says.

After about 18 months of planning, the magazine was launched at the cost of about "six figures." He plans to seek "non-book advertisers," such as fashion, travel and lifestyle businesses, to suit his upscale readership.

Book plans to published bimonthly through 1999 and monthly in 2000.