Are books dead, dying or neither?
When discussing the stubborn demise of newspapers, the same argument is always brought to me.
After a certain generation passes – the Baby Boomers, the over-40 crowd – the era of waking up in the morning, grabbing a coffee and paper will be gone. Anyone younger than that hasn’t been conditioned to read the physical newspaper; they don’t seek that tactile feedback each day that was common to your fathers and mine.
In theory, the same thinking goes for books, which appear headed for the same fate thanks to iPads and e-readers. But as newspapers have shown resilience, are books dead just yet?
The basis for this story, of course, comes from an eye-opening report last week. According to Amazon, e-books outsold traditional paper copies for the first time ever in April, only four years after anyone first heard the word “Kindle.”
“We had high hopes that this would happen eventually, but we never imagined it would happen this quickly,” Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos said. The online retailer noted that, in the U.S. last month, it sold 105 Kindle e-books for every 100 print books to readers.
The Kindle hurts traditional print books – yeah, the iPad does, too – but since the news of Amazon’s numbers, there has been finger-pointing of many kinds toward the entire book biz.
Forbes, for one, says a flawed business model is to blame: the industry, it’s said, has a backwards approach to publishing.
“The books that publishers choose are almost entirely of zero interest to actual book-buyers,” the site’s Raquel Laneri writes, suggesting after-the-fact texts about 9/11 or the Iraq War don’t sell all that well when the Internet provides enough free info for all.
“In no other industry do producers actually wait passively to see what products are suggested to them, instead of doing market research to see what people really want to buy. Yet publishers seldom generate book ideas; instead they wait for literary agents to submit proposals.”
Yes, consumers are a fickle bunch – just look: 3-D is old news already – but it’d be amazing to see e-readers actually slam the door on something like books, which have a history dating back, oh, I don’t know, 5,000 years.
Are you still reading books? Do you prefer traditional print copies or their e-reader incarnations?
By Jason Buckland, MSN Money
*Follow Jason on Twitter here.
Posted by: kenny | May 29, 2021 1:28:56 PM
Books aren't dead. I am still reading my second copy of Saint Errant, by Leslie Charteris. I had to replace my first one after i wore it out with my hands and eyes. Now I am thinking about replacing the one I have with a newer one. Too bad good books like that are out of print...And, it'll be a while before I turn forty.
Posted by: K T-M | May 29, 2021 1:50:41 PM
I'm 19, and an avid reader. It isn't unusual for me to read a 250-450 page book per day. And I have to say that there is nothing better than a REAL book. I'm disgusted by the thought of an e-reader ... There's nothing I love more than sitting down to read through a 750 page book in 6 hours. If I tried THAT on an e-reader, I'd have the migraine from hell. Besides, books have been serving us well for thousands of years ... whatever happened to "if it isn't broken, don't fix it" ???
Posted by: Bre | May 29, 2021 1:57:29 PM
As a young person, I admit that the majority of my generation does not read at all. I seem to be among a sharply shrinking demographic that continues to read frequently. Fellow students at my school spell atrociously, cannot write a proper essay, and have a vocabulary equivalent to that of a toddler (excluding profanities, of which they are quite knowledgeable). I blame these shortfalls to not reading! I was once terrible at spelling and writing, until I began to read frequently, which I owe entirely to the Harry Potter series, for commencing my interest in books. I was always top in my class at spelling and writing essays is easy, which I attribute to reading. The more you read the more you understand sentence, paragraph, and general writing structure. Your vocabulary improves as you are exposed to new words. Your world opens up to new eras, people, places, and ideas. Ereaders and books aside, the important thing is that people are reading. If ereaders interest people in reading, than it is a good thing.
Posted by: Gerald | May 29, 2021 3:42:06 PM
For me, traditional books all the way. You can drop a paperback and still read it, I doubt too many of those stupid E readers could survive. And lugging around some huge, clumsy E reader, compared to the nice, compact size of a real book, no way. I'm tired of all this stupid rush to the latest silly electronic gadget, everybody has to have the very lastest in phones, computers, and every thing else that greedy companies can dream up, then make you feel like dog-doo, if you don't immediately rush out and buy it, they can shove their ads. The old 'keeping up with the Joneses" snobbery, 21 century style.
And MizKel's comment, right on taget. Exactly the way I feel.
Posted by: BB | May 29, 2021 4:35:02 PM
Books are still the way to go for me. I have kobo but for those of us who like to have a bubble bath and read a paperback is still the way to go.
Posted by: Jeff | May 29, 2021 6:20:14 PM
Well, I hope that books are never out of style. Personally I still enjoy the feel of a boko in my hands although on trips I can see where something along the line of an ereader would be helpful in keeping the amount of packing down. I think that they can work together, the ereader does not have to "doom" the book. I agree though that reading, and writing, is becoming a lost art. Even on the interent I find more and more of the stories in video format, instead of written. While some benefit from this many are simply a sign of the laziness of today...it seems to me that people are finding it harder and harder to take the time to read.
Posted by: kathy | May 29, 2021 6:48:32 PM
Talk about environmentally friendly, yes resources go into creating a physical paperback, but what about having to recharge the ereader every so often? Leave the holier than thou green footprint business out of it.
Posted by: Bailey | May 29, 2021 7:11:59 PM
I have a Kobo which is the Chapters/Indigo version of the Kindle and as much as I love it, I still buy some physical books. I purchase books that I would like to keep or read again, or loan to somebody. I use my Kobo to read books that I will likely only read once, newspapers and journal articles (as a university student this saves me printing a lot of useless information). The Kobo is great because I can put any pdf file on it, not just ebooks, which means that I also use it for downloaded knitting patterns so that I don't have to print them out if I'm just going to need it once.
Posted by: Taarna | May 29, 2021 7:20:05 PM
I have always preferred the tactile nature of real books. The cracking of the spine, the feel of the paper between my fingers, the smell of the old, yellowing pages. It's personable and personal. E-books are fine for people who are rushed and always on the go, but I have always thought that the point of a book has always been to slow down.
Posted by: David Y | May 29, 2021 8:56:22 PM
I'd like to hang on to the printed physical book but the convenience of an ereader has just about convinced me to switch especially since we're about to have another postal strike in Canada. An ereader skips the middle men and allows instant gratification when shopping on line!
Posted by: Christine | May 29, 2021 8:58:25 PM
Well, I for one hope the printed book never dies. There is nothing as satisfying as picking up a book and reading. To be able to touch the pages is something that has been ingrained from an early age. It is not just the printed word but the feel and the smell of the pages. This can't be duplicated with e-readers.
Posted by: Tina | May 29, 2021 10:26:57 PM
I have the Kobo and I love it, but I do miss the feel of holding a book in my hands. When its not available as an e-book. I read about 3 or 4 books a week due to my e-reader. I think both are still important.
Posted by: mel | May 29, 2021 10:28:01 PM
I am a 20 something mother of 2 small children. I have always encouraged my kids to read books, not the internet, but BOOKS. My 8 year old son won't go to sleep at night without winding down with one, and neither will I. I am currently starting to put together a home library of hard cover books before they disappear for good, and I suggest that other people do the same.
Posted by: Jean Taylor | May 29, 2021 10:52:24 PM
As much as I love the tactile sensation of a REAL book (and the smell! Who doesn't love the smell of ink, paper and binding?!), as a near obsessive reader (at least 2-4 books a week) I have to concede the fact that e-readers are much more practical and environmentally sound. I have a 700 book library and will continue to collect those special first editions, rare finds and reference books I can't live without. But for everyday reading, magazines and especially travel, my Kobo is indispensible!! Long live the digital library!!
Posted by: Shelley | May 29, 2021 11:32:31 PM
What about people on a very low income?? I read at least 3 books a week & have most of my life but I get them free from the library. I can't afford to buy books. I get them free also twice a year from the library book sale. I donate books my family & friends give me then in turn I get free books at the book sale. If books were no longer printed how would people be able to access books as the library would no longer be an option for the economically challenged and e books are not free.
Posted by: JS | May 30, 2021 3:56:52 AM
It's mainly white people that are trying to force other cultures to use this. Not all whites but the rich snobby ones. They try to make people think only one way and silence individuality.
Posted by: AVENGER | May 30, 2021 7:07:40 AM
AND WHY R BOOKS AND MAGAZINES SO RIDICULOUSLY PRICED?BECAUSE PAPER PRODUCTS R DWINDLING-HOW MANY FORESTS R DESTROYED SO U CAN READ YOUR NEWSPAPER?OR US OR STAR OR LORD OF THE RINGS? WHERE DO U THINK THIS PRODUCT COMES FROM?THE EARTH AND ITS COMPONENTS R WHY WE R ALIVE TODAY-WITH HELP FROM TECHNOLOGY WE CAN SURVIVE!THE MORE DIGITAL THIS WORLD GETS-THE LONGER WE MAY SURVIVE!-NOT BY RAPING THE EARTH OF THE VERY RESOURCES THAT KEEP US ALIVE!THOUSANDS OF TREES AND FORESTS R DESTROYED WEEKLY-SO U CAN READ YOUR IN TOUCH OR WORLD NEWS-NOT TO MENTION THE CHEMICALS IN USE AT YOUR LOCAL PRINTING PRESS! RECYCLABLE PAPER!-PROVE IT!-DON'T BELIEVE IT!NOT TO MENTION THE MILLIONS OF TONS OF CARDBOARD MOST PRODUCT IS SHIPPED AND DELIVERED IN!THOUSANDS OF TONS OF PAPER PRODUCT IS-THOUSANDS OF ACRES OF DESTROYED FOREST-NOT EVEN CLOSE TO THE EVERYDAY HOUSING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY THAT EATS AWAY LIKE A TERMITE ON YOUR SUNDECK!WAKE UP SHEEPLE!THE WORLD NEEDS US TO EMBRACE THE DIGITAL AGE-B4 CAMPING BECOMES A R.V.IN A PAVED PARKING LOT-WITH PLASTIC PLANTS 4 ATMOSPHERE!IF WE HAVEN'T STRIPPED THE EARTH OF ITS NATURAL RESOURCES!EVER WONDER WHY GASOLINE KEEPS GOING UP-AND SMALL SERVICE STATIONS R HARDER 2 FIND?
Posted by: hotdogbuns | May 30, 2021 9:52:28 AM
I'm a heavy reader and love my Kobo. The screen is so easy to read from, it looks just like a page out of a book. No glare, no backlight, and you can adjust the font size. I buy a lot of ebooks but I also borrow from the library when I can. I still buy print books as well, but not nearly as many.
Posted by: Danielle | May 30, 2021 10:30:33 AM
I buy physical copies of my good books, the books that I want to keep in the future or the books that I've been following for a while that I want the whole series of. My iPhone Kobo app gets the filler books, random books that I buy to read on my commute or just to pass time. They're the books I won't mind losing if technology crashes. I don't think I'll ever stop buying physical copies of books... they're just so much better then the technology version. Some things can't be changed with convenience.