It is really very sad to see the book stores going down like dominoes. Fortunately we still have 2 used book stores in our small town. But if this trend continues will we all be forced to purchase e-readers? I like my shelves full of books and actually turning a page. And what then of the libraries in the not so distant future? Tis sad indeed.
The real problem is that there are so many people between the author and the reader, all of whom want their “cut”, that the price of books is too much for most people. Then too, Borders owned the dirt on which all those stores were built, and the profit in bookselling just wouldn’t support all that too.
As far as Kindle being the cause, why not blame libraries who offer the same books for free? Kindle books, read on the ipad, are great and the prices for the books are reasonable.
The really sad thing is all the people losing their jobs, thousands of them.
I too prefer to handle a real book and turn real pages. A coworker of mine has an e-reader but couldn’t read her book at work one day because the battery was dead. Batteries never die on real books!
Borders stores had mostly “pop” books. Never the stuff I want. I understand the problem – and ordering online solves it neatly. The problem is called “the long tail”. Look it up.
I own a kindle and love it. Most of the people who say they prefer paper books have never tried a reader with a e-ink screen. It is a whole different experience to reading on a back lit screen.most e- readers can go for weeks and then only need a 2 hour recharge.when I carry mine I don’t just have a book I have as whole library wherever I go.Large format , color and art books will keep bookstores going for a while.The direct publishing that can be done through amazon will allow many authors to publish who would never have worked their way through the publishing industry’s gate keeping.If j.k. Rowling had not been very persistent we would have never gotten Harry Potter.
Llewellenbruce almost 13 years ago
Borders book store company just went out ofbusiness thanks to Kindle.
Woody157 almost 13 years ago
What is it that Barnes & Nobel is doing so right that Borders did so wrong?
lkissell almost 13 years ago
B & N isn’t so right, it’s in trouble, too, just not as deep as Borders. I hope “books on paper” never become obsolete, but I love the antique ones.
Buying books isn’t a luxury – Erasmus said it best, “whenever I have a little money, first I buy books…”
CoBass almost 13 years ago
Slate’s take on Borders, as well as Wall Street Journal’s somewhat older take.
grapfhics almost 13 years ago
It’s unfortunately “the writing on the wall”. and I picked up some great buys.
Redhead55 almost 13 years ago
It is really very sad to see the book stores going down like dominoes. Fortunately we still have 2 used book stores in our small town. But if this trend continues will we all be forced to purchase e-readers? I like my shelves full of books and actually turning a page. And what then of the libraries in the not so distant future? Tis sad indeed.
Iwa Iniki almost 13 years ago
My kind of store. I like tactile.
Spyderred almost 13 years ago
The real problem is that there are so many people between the author and the reader, all of whom want their “cut”, that the price of books is too much for most people. Then too, Borders owned the dirt on which all those stores were built, and the profit in bookselling just wouldn’t support all that too.
As far as Kindle being the cause, why not blame libraries who offer the same books for free? Kindle books, read on the ipad, are great and the prices for the books are reasonable.
The really sad thing is all the people losing their jobs, thousands of them.
rgcviper almost 13 years ago
Personally, I’ll ALWAYS prefer printed books to electronic ones.
pinkdryad Premium Member almost 13 years ago
I too prefer to handle a real book and turn real pages. A coworker of mine has an e-reader but couldn’t read her book at work one day because the battery was dead. Batteries never die on real books!
stuart almost 13 years ago
Borders stores had mostly “pop” books. Never the stuff I want. I understand the problem – and ordering online solves it neatly. The problem is called “the long tail”. Look it up.
muskrat6 almost 13 years ago
I own a kindle and love it. Most of the people who say they prefer paper books have never tried a reader with a e-ink screen. It is a whole different experience to reading on a back lit screen.most e- readers can go for weeks and then only need a 2 hour recharge.when I carry mine I don’t just have a book I have as whole library wherever I go.Large format , color and art books will keep bookstores going for a while.The direct publishing that can be done through amazon will allow many authors to publish who would never have worked their way through the publishing industry’s gate keeping.If j.k. Rowling had not been very persistent we would have never gotten Harry Potter.