Monday, March 09, 2009

The similarity between publishing and fast food

Interviewed recently Allan Kornblum, the publisher at Coffee House Books made the following comment.

Keep in mind that clay tablets lasted 3,000 years, papyrus scrolls lasted two thousand years, the handwritten rectangular book we recognize today continued for about a thousand years, and letterpress printing lasted 500 years. All of a sudden we've had desktop book design, the internet, and the ebook, all in the last twenty-five years. Writers, publishers, and readers have had to swallow these major changes as if we were all at a fast food restaurant, so it's not surprising that we're all suffering a bit of indigestion. I'm not saying that the recession isn't going to have an effect on publishing, but it's not the only part of the ever-changing landscape we're all trying to negotiate.


It is a good interview and well worth a read if you have time

Ht-Andrew Sullivan

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