Books Still Matter
Posted by Josh Klein
Tom says the popularity of books will wane as new media grows. I disagree.
I think information in one form of media is not a substitute for another. They have a network effect, even a positive feedback loop. The more information people are exposed to, the more they’ll want.
The internet is an ideal replacement for reference material, like dictionaries. Erin McKean offers a wonderful explanation of why in her talk at TED.
Books are different. I like reading a book, carrying it, even using it as a drink coaster. I buy books when I could rent them from a library for free. There is more to a book than the information on its pages.
Yes, it’s incredible that you can have Ulysses read to you line by line over twitter. That doesn’t mean less people will read books.
More people will read.
How do you plan to reach your new audience? They’re well read and looking for new ways to talk to you.
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