Harvard University’s Library Director starts his treatise on ‘the death of the book’ this way:
I have been invited to so many conferences on “The Death of the Book” during the past decade that I think books must be very much alive. The death notices remind me of one of my favorite graffiti, inscribed in the men’s room of the Firestone Library at Princeton University:
God is dead.
—NietzscheThen, added in another hand:
Nietzsche is dead.
—God
More, based on his new title from Public Affairs, from Publishers Weekly.
Not available on the Kindle
This book is not available on the Kindle. Bummer. Book on Amazon:The Case for Books: Past, Present, and Future
author’s choice
I presume
Revenue stream
When the author knows that the book is coming out in print I don’t understand why they would shut down a revenue stream by not also offering the book electronically.
Well…
Isn’t the book in defense of paper books?
Not just paper
Darnton is looking at more than just paper books. Read the article that is linked to. He has an entire discussion on ebooks and the features that he would like to see in them.
Good question
>Isn’t the book in defense of paper books?
Is it? The description of the book does not make it clear. The excerpts from articles also do not make it clear whether he is defending the paper book or the book as a concept.
Guess I won’t be reading it
Wow! I can’t believe that this book on the past, present and FUTURE of books will not be available in Kindle format.
It is available in Kindle now!
Often times it takes the publisher time to confirm with Amazon it will consent for a Kindle format, but it definately is available now.
http://www.amazon.com/The-Case-for-Books-ebook/dp/B002T5TLO0/ref=kinw_dp_ke?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&qid=1256605484&sr=1-1
I’m part way through it now,
I’m part way through it now, and it is not only a case for books, it is a case for libraries. Of course, Darnton is the Director of Harvard’s library, so that is not a surprise.
The book also has an excellent explanation of the Google Book Search settlement and what is good and bad about the coming Google library. It even uses the “m word.”
I’m looking forward to finishing it.