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Theres something rather magical about reading books. Or perhaps Im just an old fart that grew up without the internet.

The article is fascinating but worrying. I do hope the industry survives in some form. I love the experience of reading books. It would be a shame if everything was digital although it seems like an inescapable conclusion after looking at the data in the article…

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Reading, if you’re good at it, is the most sophisticated and powerful form of storytelling, allowing detail and scope far beyond movies or games. And writing is far more accessible and cheaper than any other form of media creation. I think thats the magic.

But it has such a high requirement of education and practice, and demands such a high price in focus and attention. Its no wonder that it doesnt fit most people’s lives.

Nothing is going to go all digital, except maybe sales. Print-on-demand means that every ebook can also be a physical trade paperback, if the publisher chooses. Amazon even have a button you can click to give a free copy of the ebook to everyone who buys the printed version (not sure if this encourages printed sales, or more to expose people to the dark side).

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