People everywhere are talking about Steve Jobs’ recent comments on the Amazon Kindle:
“It doesn’t matter how good or bad the product is; the fact is that people don’t read anymore. Forty percent of the people in the U.S. read one book or less last year.â€
Yet business seems to be booming for those in the book publishing world. The NY Times reported that:
In 2008, book publishing will bring in about $15 billion in revenue in the United States, according to the Book Industry Study Group, a trade association.
Not such a dinosaur after all, are they Mr. Jobs? Speaking as someone who owns well over 700 books of all shapes, sizes and genres, I find it offensive that Steve Jobs thinks that Americans don’t read. My entire circle of close friends (nearly 20 people!) are all extensive readers and I have many more acquaintances who enjoy reading a book now and then– certainly more than one a year!
That’s why I plan on joining the rallying cry to prove Mr. Jobs wrong, along with everyone else who thinks as he does. See this post for more info on joining up. I’ll also be tracking my 50 books on this site. Please see my tracking page here.
If you have any comments on this, I’d love to hear them. Please consider posting a comment, some support, or a link to your own 50 book challenge.
Great Site. Keep up the great work.
Great Site. Keep up the great work.