John Makinson: The future of publishing

While the definition of the book itself is up for grabs, the move from the printed page to the screen is not a particularly significant thing: Tehelka

The book, since Gutenberg built his press in 1450, has remained essentially unchanged. But might technology render books obsolete? There has been plenty of speculation, plenty of hand-wringing. Ewan Morrison, writing in The Guardian two years ago, argued that “within 25 years the digital revolution will bring about the end of paper books.” It sounds dramatic, apocalyptic — books are dead, wiped out. And what of publishers? Penguin and Random House merged in July, to form a buffer against the blustery, squally winds of the changing market for books.