The link below is to an article about how ebooks have impacted on one particular traditional bookshop. However, I would say that this type of impact is now becoming commonplace, especially among booksellers who seem reluctant to open an online dimension to their store.
The link below is to an article that looks into what books would encourage reluctant readers to actually read.
For more visit:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/teacher-network/2012/jul/05/recommend-books-boys-reading.
I have just started reading ‘Print is Dead – Books in our Digital Age,’ by Jeff Gomez. This book explores the future of books, with Gomez being an advocate of ebooks. I think it is fair to say that Gomez sees a future where the traditional book is little more than a relic of the past. This is certainly a view I would agree with for a number of reasons, though I do believe the traditional book will hold on for some time to come (how long I cannot say). I believe Gomez would hold to the same view from what I have read thus far (to the end of chapter 1).
In the first chapter, ‘byte flight,’ Gomez accurately sums up the situation in the traditional book vs ebook debate. There are certainly plenty of people (I was once one) who cannot see the ebook winning the battle (if we can call it a battle) and who hold a romantic attachment of sorts to the traditional book. I think this will continue to be the case among older generations for some time yet, with many older people reluctant to ‘move with the times (such a my mother and her husband).’ There are a number of reasons for this and Gomez describes some of these reluctant views in the first chapter. Overall, opposition to the dominance of the ebook is termed as ‘byte flight,’ and is probably as good a term as any to use.
Gomez believes that the younger generations will lead the way for the dominance of the ebook and in this I think he is largely correct. The digital generations are more likely to read digital books and use digital gadgets and as this grows more and more the norm, ebooks will become more and more dominant at the expense of traditional books.
See also:
http://www.dontcallhome.com/books.html (Website of Jeff Gomez)
Podcast (Excerpts from the Book)
Google Books
Amazon
Today’s suggestion for changing the world is to prevent genocide – what a truly noble suggestion and aim. Is it possible? Sadly, history would say no, none-the-less we should be doing what we can to stop it. Wouldn’t it be great if world leaders did more to prevent it?
Is there really any serious action going on to stop the Darfur genocide in Sudan? It seems to me that most of the action by western world governments has been reluctant at best. Perhaps there isn’t enough oil? Who knows what the real reason is – but a reason there is for not doing enough.
A web site with more information in Australia:
http://www.darfuraustralia.org/
So what can I do? I certainly can’t storm Sudan – but is there something I can do? Perhaps something that is symbolic will play a part, even a small part to get something done. Perhaps it will help to get the ball rolling (or keep it rolling)?
I can sign the pledge against genocide at Genocide Watch – that is something that I can do. It is also something that you can do. Just have a look at the links below:
http://www.genocidewatch.org/getinvolved/pledgeagainstgenocide.html
A response to reading ‘365 Ways to Change the World,’ by Michael Norton
At the BookShelf 