A Reading Revival

One of the big fears surrounding the Internet was that it would doom printed books and reading. Fortunately, according to the Penguin Blog, it appears that such concerns are unfounded:

At a time when publishers are anxiously examining their crystal balls to assess what impact digital texts and distribution will have on their industry and livelihoods, it is encouraging to see that one of the world's leading business magazines, Forbes magazine has devoted a whole issue to old-fashioned books.

The great fear is that online video games, movies, TV and music on demand and user-generated content will sweep aside 'text based entertainment', and that the market for books will shrink in the face of a multimedia assault. But Forbes suprisingly say that we Eeyore-ish publishers shouldn't be too gloomy, for people are reading more than ever: 'The Internet is fueling literacy. Giving books away online increases off-line readership. New forms of expression - wikis, networked books - are blossoming in a digital hothouse.'

(Emphasis added-DD. Penguin link courtesy of Norm Geras)


The Forbes articles referenced above were recently linked by LISNews.