Further to my post earlier this month noting that crime writer James Patterson had been reported as the first author to sell more than 1 million ebooks, news has now come through that another crime writer has become the second author to top the 1 million ebook mark.
Who? Well, who do you think? That's right, the Stieg Larsson juggernaut continues. This past week Hillel Italie of The Associated Press reported that publisher Alfred A. Knopf had said the late Swedish author's blockbuster 'Millennium Trilogy' thrillers have sold more than 1 million copies in the e-book editions. "We are witnessing record-breaking sales for 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' in trade and mass market paperback as well as in audio, so it is not surprising that this trend is being mirrored with e-books," Knopf spokesman Paul Bogaards was reported as saying.
Amazon.com, the biggest player in the growing e-book market, also told The Associated Press on Wednesday that Larsson's "The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo," the first book in the Millennium trilogy, is the all-time top seller on the e-book reading device the Kindle.
Bogaards also backed up a report earlier this week by Amazon that said the Internet retail giant was selling more e-books than hardcovers.
So, what do you think of the e-book (r)evolution? Will it mean the slow death of paper publishing? Or will it be a good thing, leading to more readers and reading overall - and existing alongside traditional print media? Do you like reading onscreen, or prefer 'real' books? Is it just the words and stories that matter, or does the tactile experience play a part too? Thoughts and comments welcome.
Craig - Interesting question. I honestly don't think the e-book movement signals the end of paper publishing. Rather, I see it as a new alternative. Yes, there are some people who will switch from paper to e-reading. I think most people, though, will either do both kinds of reading, or will choose one or the other. Wise publishers will harness both forms of book, so as to appeal to readers with all kinds of preferences. For me, personally, I do both kinds of reading (although I don't yet have a Kindle). I read some things on my hard drive, and some in paper form.
ReplyDeleteI agree Margot. I thought bestselling Irish crime writer John Connolly made an interesting point when he was down here on his recent trip to NZ - that unlike with digital music vs CDs etc, readers actually have more love for hardcopy books. With music, the consumer loves the music, and has memories etc all wrapped up in the songs, not the method of delivery. With books it's a bit different - people have love for the books themselves, not just the words and stories within them...
ReplyDeleteCraig as I also pointed to Bernadette I see no reason why both 'platforms' cannot co-exist. After all we still listen to the radio and watch tv.
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