Howard Schultz writes second book about Starbucks coffee business

Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz's second book has a new name.

"Onward: How Starbucks Fought for Its Life without Losing Its Soul" will be published on March 29 by Rodale Books, according to Amazon.com. An earlier working title had been "Onward: How Crisis and Conviction Transformed Starbucks."

"Onward" is the closing Schultz has used for letters to employees for years, including in his well-publicized 2007 memo to top executives warning about the "commoditization of the Starbucks experience."

Starbucks has been through upheaval since then, including closing hundreds of stores and laying off thousands of workers.

Now that it has stabilized and profits are headed in the right direction, Schultz has penned a book with Seattle writer Joanne Gordon, author of "Be Happy At Work: 100 Women Who Love Their Jobs, and Why" and "Roadtrip Nation: A Guide to Discovering Your Path in Life."

Schultz's first book, "Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time" with Dori Jones Yang, was published in 1997 and told the tale of his falling in love with Starbucks in Seattle, eventually buying the company and taking it public.

The new book is priced at $25.99, but currently sells for $15.27 at Amazon.com.

Melissa Allison: 206-464-3312 or mallison@seattletimes.com