COMMON THREADS
One of the Common Threads discussed in Chapter 1 is the commercial nature of mass media. Books have been products of a publishing industry in the United States since at least the early nineteenth century, but with the advent of digital technologies, the structure of the publishing industry is either evolving or dying. Is this a good or bad thing for the future of books?
Since the popularization of Gutenberg’s printing press, there has always been some kind of gatekeeper in the publishing industry. Initially, it was religious institutions (which, for example, determined what would constitute the books of the Bible), then intellectuals, educators, and—
Now, with the digital turn in publishing, anyone can be an author. Clay Shirky, a digital theorist at New York University, argues that this completely undercuts the work of publishers. “Publishing is going away,” Shirky says. “Because the word ‘publishing’ means a cadre of professionals who are taking on the incredible difficulty and complexity and expense of making something public. That’s not a job anymore. That’s a button. There’s a button that says ‘publish,’ and when you press it, it’s done.”26 Indeed, self-
An increase in the number of books in circulation is great for democracy, for the inclusion of more voices. But is there still value to the acquisition, editing, and marketing of books that publishers do? Are these traditional gatekeepers worth keeping around? Is it a legitimate concern that the quality of book content will suffer without publishers to find, develop, and promote the work of the best authors?
KEY TERMS
The definitions for the terms listed below can be found in the glossary at the end of the book. The page numbers listed with the terms indicate where the term is highlighted in the chapter.
papyrus, 345
parchment, 345
codex, 345
manuscript culture, 345
illuminated manuscripts, 346
block printing, 346
printing press, 346
vellum, 346
paperback books, 347
dime novels, 347
pulp fiction, 347
linotype, 348
offset lithography, 348
trade books, 349
professional books, 350
textbooks, 350
mass market paperbacks, 351
instant book, 354
reference books, 354
university press, 355
e-book, 357
book challenge, 361
acquisitions editors, 362
subsidiary rights, 363
developmental editor, 363
copy editors, 363
design managers, 363
e-publishing, 367
REVIEW QUESTIONS
The History of Books, from Papyrus to Paperbacks
Modern Publishing and the Book Industry
Trends and Issues in Book Publishing
The Organization and Ownership of the Book Industry
Books and the Future of Democracy
QUESTIONING THE MEDIA
LAUNCHPAD FOR MEDIA & CULTURE