Books: The Durable Medium

Comm 101

Chapter 3

History of books

Early forms Papyrus

From reed in Egypt (3000 B.C.)

Parchment Dried animal skins Durable

History of books

Early forms Asian books

Books on rice paper Printed from

wooden blocks

History of books

Print Revolution Gutenberg’s press

Developed moveable type Allowed mass production

Gutenberg Bible Published about 1455 Johannes Gutenberg

History of books

Print Revolution Printing press changed world from oral to print

culture Oral culture: Information transmitted from speech Print culture: People able to read ideas directly

Learning could be handed down Reduced traditional authority of kings, religious leaders Led to Enlightenment in Europe

History of books

The book in America Spanish established press in Mexico City Early Colonial publishers in New England

Escaping repression in England Avoiding control by King

History of books

First Colonial books Bay Psalm Book: First book in America Early printers ran bookstores

Vertical integration

First public library

Bay Psalm Book (1644)

aka The Whole Booke of Psalms

History of books

Universal education builds literacy Massachusetts Law (1642)

Every child must be taught to read

U.S. law (1820s) Adopted for country

McGuffey’s Eclectic Readers Since 1836, were standard in reading

History of books

The Industrial Revolution Technological advancement

Machine-made paper from wood pulp High-speed presses Lithography = high-quality images Linotype = machines set type

Distribution, cost Book publishers not get price break of newspapers,

magazines Book rate finally adopted in 1914

History of books

Books and slavery Frederick Douglass’

autobiography Told the horrors of slavery

Uncle Tom’s Cabin National best seller

Frederick Douglass

History of books

Paperback books Dime novels (pulp novels)

Popular with Civil War soldiers

Mass market paperbacks Recycled best sellers Non-fiction Formula

Human interest stories, sexy cover, low price

History of books

Paperback books Modern formats

Action-adventure novels Male-oriented mysteries Formulaic, lots of action

Romance novels Female-oriented stories Formulaic, happy ending

History of books

Conglomerates and globalization Five major companies dominate industry Just one of five (Time Warner) is based in U.S.

History of books

New forms of books Audio books

Originally for sight-impaired Now popular with commuters

E-books Digital files, special hardware Hypertext allows interactivity

Kindle

Publishing industry

Types of books Trade books

Largest share of book sales General-interest fiction, non-fiction

Educational books Textbooks for all levels

Publishing industry

Types of books Reference books

Fact-based, like atlases

Professional books For occupational specialties

Specialty books Religious, yearbooks, anthologies

Publishing industry

The author Few full-time book authors Most write books on side

Write non-fiction, fiction in various venues

Agent Represents author’s work Knowledge of industry

Publishing industry

The author Contract

Sign agreement before writing book Advance, share of sales (royalties)

Writing “on spec” Finish book without commitment from publisher Royalties mostly, rarely fixed payment

Publishing industry

The author Celebrities as writers

Fame allows them to get contract

Writers become celebrities Fame from writing

Publishing industry

The editors Acquisition editors

Selects books to be published

Developmental editors Helps author make major changes

Copy editors Polishes manuscript

Publishing industry

Publishers Minority publishers

Target specific audience

University presses Mostly academic books

Small presses Regional publishers, small companies

Publishing industry

Book sellers Chains and megastores

Barnes & Noble, Borders = ½ of U.S. sales

Independents Many small, specialty stores Powell’s: Largest used book seller

Publishing industry

Book sellers Online sellers

Amazon.com leading bookstore Bookmatcher program

Many others

Publishing industry

Readers Bibliophiles = read a lot Casual readers = read some Required readers = only for work, studies Illiterates = can’t read Alliterates = can read, but don’t

Controversies

Book censorship First Amendment limits government censorship Still examples of censorship

James Joyce’s “Ulysses”

Controversies

Book censorship More common in public schools, libraries

Parents pressure schools to remove books from curriculum, library

Controversies

Book censorship Challenged books get publicity, higher

sales Around world, stricter than U.S.

Iran issues death threat for Rushdie Nazi books banned in Germany

Controversies

The Blockbuster Syndrome Big advances given to big authors Hurts chances of other authors?

Controversies

Plagiarism Kaavya Viswanathan

Hoax James Frey