Eoin Purcell
The New York Times writes on the future of the book
Totally frazzled and worn out after two hectic weeks I had a nice thought reading this today:
What should an old-fashioned book publisher do with this gift? Forget about cost-cutting and the mass market. Don’t aim for instant blockbuster successes. You won’t win on quick distribution, and you won’t win on price. Cyberspace has that covered.
Go back to an old-fashioned idea: that a book, printed in ink on durable paper, acid-free for longevity, is a thing of beauty. Make it as well as you can. People want to cherish it.
What’s this you say, publish fewer, better quality books? How insane is that!
Eoin
Eoin Purcell's Blog 
I love it.
When I was young, the highlight of every Christmas was some large, expensive, perfectly wonderful reference book that my mother had invested in, or a special hardbound edition of a favourite paperback that had fallen to bits in a rubber band. The book gifts were always my favourite.
A pdf just wouldn’t be the same. Hard to wrap, too.
“What’s this you say, publish fewer, better quality books? How insane is that!”
If only they’d listen…
🙂