The link below is to an article about a service that gets your book printed or distributed as a Kindle ebook in Australia.
For more visit:
http://www.techlife.net/lifestyle/how-tos/2012/7/going-into-print-with-oz-pod-ebooks/
Tag Archives: printed
Article: Toilet Paper Book
The link below is to a story that pushes the boundaries of ‘book.’ It is a report on a horror story novel by Koji Suzuki. The strange thing about the novel is that it is printed on toilet paper rolls by the Hayashi Paper Co.
For more visit:
http://boingboing.net/2012/06/16/toilet-paper-with-a-horror-sto.html
Article: The Diamond Sutra
The World’s Oldest Book
The link below is to an article about the Diamond Sutra, the world’s oldest surviving book, which was printed on the 11 May, 868.
For more, visit:
http://www.neatorama.com/2012/05/11/the-diamond-sutra-the-worlds-oldest-copyleft-book/
Encyclopaedia Britannica: Printed Editions Almost Gone
Less Than 1000 Sets Remain
The following link reports on the last days of the printed editions of Encyclopaedia Britannica. Less than 1000 sets remain.
For more, visit:
http://www.finebooksmagazine.com/fine_books_blog/2012/04/encyclopaedia-britannica.phtml
Book Review: Currently Reading – Print is Dead, by Jeff Gomez
I have been reading ‘Print is Dead – Books in our Digital Age,’ by Jeff Gomez and have now completed my reading of it. The final chapter ‘Will Books Disappear?’ asks the obvious question concerning books in a digital future. The answer is both yes and no I think. Certainly books will still be around for the foreseeable future – niche products, throw away copies, second-hand books, collectors items, etc. However, traditional book production will certainly slow and far fewer will be printed and distributed in the ‘traditional’ manner.
In the digital age, Print on Demand services may grow and maintain popularity for a period, with services like Google Books allowing the ability to print an out of print work cheaply and quickly. Allowing these works to also be accessed via the World Wide Web and in ebook format will limit the use of this technology I would think.
With the content of books still being the main resource, employment around the content of books should also remain. The need for editors, publishers and the like, will still be required for excellence in ebook production. The quality of books should continue undiminished, though there will also be avenues for lesser quality works via the World Wide Web. So the book will not disappear, only its appearance will be transformed and the content remain the same.
Closing Thoughts on the Book
‘Print is Dead – Books in our Digital Age’ covers no new ground, but it does cover the same ground of the traditional book versus the ebook very well. It presents its case and does it well. Traditional book champions will more than likely remain unmoved by the arguments of Jeff Gomez and those that herald the arrival of ebooks will probably agree with the sentiment expressed in the pages of this book. I believe ‘Print is Dead’ presents a very balanced argument for ebooks in the digital age and presents a future for books that is upon us, in inevitable and that offers up some wonderful possibilities if we are willing to embrace them. I would recoomend this book to anyone interested in the traditional book versus ebook debate.
See also:
http://www.dontcallhome.com/books.html (Website of Jeff Gomez)
Podcast (Excerpts from the Book)
Google Books
Amazon
Printed Books and E-Books
I have come across an interesting article on the future of books in The Australian newspaper.
Amazon: Ebooks Outselling Printed Books
Once upon a time I was never a fan of ebooks – that has changed. I love them and I don’t even have an ebook reader (I use my laptop). I am thinking of getting one though. The number of books available now (in print and out of print) and the number that can be owned in such a small space has convinced me otherwise.
It would seem that the world is seeing the ebook revolution in a similar type of way, with the world’s largest bookseller (Amazon) now telling us that they sell more ebooks that printed books.
For more visit:
http://thenextweb.com/media/2011/05/19/huh-amazon-com-announces-for-a-second-time-its-selling-more-kindle-books-than-print-books/
‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton
Some time ago – probably back in 2007 – I bought a book called ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton. I wanted to make a difference in the world in which I live – to give something back as it where. As a Christian there are many ways for me to do so, but I also wanted to make a difference in more mundane matters and ways also. Of course I know that Christians are able and currently do make a difference in a variety and plethora of ways. I was looking for something a little different to the norm I guess.
Anyhow, I came across this book and thought that this would be a great book to read one day at a time – as the book suggests one action/theme for each day of the year. This book would give me plenty of food for thought and there would have to be many things that I could do or participate in to make a difference.
Not long after I bought the book my world was turned upside down and became something totally different to what I had up till then been living. Totally is probably not the right word, as some things didn’t change – but it was certainly life-changing.
I chose to leave my job in an organisation for which I had worked for nearly twenty years, the last few of which I was a manager. My health was terrible, with Chronic Fatigue Syndrome causing absolute havoc. I moved from the area in which I was living to a totally different location and under different circumstances, and that without a job. Life had changed tremendously for me and all of my belongings were locked away in a storage shed until I could sort my life out and start afresh.
I got another job which was completely different to the one I had before. My health seemed to improve dramatically and the dreaded illness which had plagued for two decades seemed to finally disappear. Then I had a terrible car accident which almost killed me and prolonged this transitory period of my life.
Now finally, I have recently been able to get all my belongings out of storage – including this book by Michael Norton. It is therefore now time to start again what I had originally planned to do and had begun back in 2007. I will read the section of the book marked out for each calendar day and consider what I shall do with the actions/themes for that day. It may be that there will be days that I will not take up the suggested action or activity, while on other days I may very well throw myself into the suggested action or activity. What I am hopeful of is finding at least one action or activity, though I am fairly sure there will be far more than one action or activity that I will participate in to some extent.
I will probably report my attempts or at least my resolutions to engage in actions and activities here, as a way of showing whether this book is useful for assisting people in making a difference. After all, its subtitle is ‘How to make a difference – one day at a time.’ As I set out on my journey with this book, I am quite excited by the prospect of making that difference and becoming more engaged with the world in which I live – in a positive manner.
I think the book is a brilliant idea and something that most people would find helpful – even if they do everything that is suggested in the book. It is certainly packed with ideas and suggestions.
There is also a web site to use along with the book:
All of the ideas in the book are included in the web site and many more according to the book. There is also an ‘ideas bank’ on ways of changing the world for the better – which also seems to be a brilliant idea I think.
OK, I will now look at today’s idea.
My copy of the book (paperback) is by Penguin Books ( www.penguin.com.au ) and was printed in 2006.
‘The Reformers and Their Stepchildren,’ by Leonard Verduin
I have been reading ‘The Reformers and Their Stepchildren,’ by Leonard Verduin, in the last week or so. It is not the first time that I have read this book, having read it some time ago – probably 10 years ago now I would say.
This is a book that I would recommend to any believer, but particularly to a Reformed believer, whether he be Paedobaptist or Baptist. Verduin seeks to analyse the Reformation and the relationship between the Reformers and their ‘stepchildren’ from a Biblical standpoint, rather than any particular denominational standpoint. Though he does defend the stepchildren, he does so only when they are in line with Scriptural teaching on the point being discussed within that particular chapter.
Who are the stepchildren? The stepchildren or the ‘second front,’ as Verduin also describes them, are those believers who sought a complete reforming of the church. In fact, it may be fair to say that these believers sought a complete break from the Romish church, and a new church built on the teachings of Scripture and modelled on the New Testament church alone.
The frustration for these nonconformist believers was that the reform movement only went so far and did not result in the complete renewal that they desired and that the situation required.
Thus far I have read only the first two chapters of the book and once again I am finding it a very worthwhile read. I find myself in substantial agreement with the position of many of the stepchildren and with Verduin. With as much respect as I have for the Reformers, such as John Calvin, Martin Luther and John Knox, I too would have found myself frustrated at the level of reform achieved by them (though they were better men than I). A complete break and renewal would have been the way forward I believe.
The first two chapters deal with the joint secular-religious church-state that was set up at both the time of Constantine and then at the Reformation in the various Protestant nations that embraced the Reformation. They deal with the all-embracing religion that was constructed in such centres as Geneva and the ‘unified’ approach to it, as well as the reaction of the stepchildren and their withdrawal from it.
This book is as close to a must read for believers as there is I think – especially of the Reformed persuasion.
My copy of the book (paperback) is by William B. Eerdmans Publishing Co. and was printed in 1964.
A MEMOIR OF THE LIFE AND WRITINGS OF ANDREW FULLER
I have now completed placing this work onto my web site at particularbaptist.com. The URL for the book is listed below:
http://particularbaptist.com/library/memoir_fuller_contents.html
My copy of this book is in very poor condition. It was published in 1863 as part of the Bunyan Library, which was a collection of books by ‘eminent Baptist authors.’ It was volume 11 in the library. The book was printed in 1863 by J. Heaton and Son in London, England.
This book is an excellent introduction to the life, work and writings of Andrew Fuller. It includes an account of Fuller’s friendship and partnership in the missionary enterprise of William Carey and the formation of the Baptist Missionary Society, in which Andrew Fuller played a major role.
I highly recommend this work and would give it a 4 to 4.5 out of five. It seems to be a very fair and honest portrayal of this early English Particular Baptist.
At the BookShelf 
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