Click to enlarge (not that it will do much good)
Ahh, Kindle. I'll give in one day soon. I do not lack for reading material, the web has loaded the content of so many things my fingers wear out far before my eyes. But I thought I would address an issue seldom discussed, but will become increasingly evident as we progress. David Byrne on his blog recently said he enjoyed his kindle as he didn't have to lug around books in his luggage. Well, neither did anyone else. Including baggage folks. No one has to deliver the book to his house either. No one has to print it. No one has to do the typesetting, the binding, the paper...Every step of production is gone or going, and all of them were good union jobs at one time. My first real job was paperboy. We don't need no paperboys. We don't need no mailman. We're not going to need no librarian, except to scan our card keeping track of which computer we're using. This analogy extends to so many once physical activities which provided jobs that it is scary. Whenever I hear a reporter claim "jobs will be back in 18 months" I cringe. There are no jobs coming back. Nothing needs to be done made, boxed, carried or delivered. So for now, I'll just say "Kindle this, Amazon"...and I hope a certain percent of the cyber-royalties are going to food distribution...and that they pass a low requiring all Barnes and Noble stores be turned into roller rinks.
Religion fanatic diatribe on postcard Obsessive script mailed from Chesterton, Maryland to Burlington, Iowa 1911 Collection Jim Linderman
The typesetting will still need to be done as will editorial work, but you have hit on something way too close to home for me. I've worked in publishing as a book designer for 36 years. I have seen the world of publishing through various upheavals, but nothing like what is occurring now. I recently have found some of my work available on Zinio. Other work on Google. I can't see myself ever wanting to own a Kindle. As I have just returned from vacation and spent several days by a lake camping with hours spent in a chair, book in hand, watching migrating birds, I can't ever imagine sitting there with an electronic device that would need to be recharged. There are just so many things wrong with Kindle. I find it to be a limited reading experience. And I just can't imagine shopping for a book as a gift and giving someone access to download a book. It's all so very cold and impersonal. There's something wonderful about opening a book and finding an inscription from a relative or friend. Or loaning a favorite book to a friend. Not so with Kindle. I would find a Kindle, or any of the other reader tablets about to hit the market, most useful only for research volumes and textbooks. Electronic searchable publications are the future of textbooks, but an art book, a novel...ughhhhhhh. This ain't no party...
ReplyDeleteI'm writing a novel, it's in it's third draft and still by hand. I like cutting and taping actual paper, I like writing in bed at 3AM. I'll eventually get to the computer, but I think this will result in a much better read. I have seen Kindles on the subway, but I still see way more paperbacks and newspapers, if that's any indication of where this is going.
ReplyDeletehopefully there are still folks out there who crave not only the words, but the experience of a book. sure a friggin kindle weighs less, but weight is only one of the many things it lacks... i guarantee you at least 80% of the mass of books here will never be available on such a thing, such as most of my record collection not being found on itunes (although i believe it is poetic justice to record 78's, particularly very scratched, onto an ipod because the crappy quality of mp3 is perfect for 78's... but that's another story). holding a book, turning pages, rolling a paperback into your back pocket, FINDING books in stores or on shelves by accident, happenstance, or wandering... the kindle, like most modern conveniences is simply about ease as opposed to quality of the experience. when i travel and have to deal with the weight of books, it forces me to really consider what to bring. having 1700 choices is not always great, it allows laziness, and has created a culture of browsing. david byrne is a lazy artist, a lazy music maker, and lo and behold no surprise to discover he is also a lazy reader...! someday the kindles will be used for kindling...
ReplyDeleteYour point taken and well. I happen to think David Byrne a quite accomplished artist. The second time I saw him after having a wisdom tooth extraction, being full of drugs in 1978 at a club in Chicago, the drone part as he stared at a puny, Charlie Brown quality christmas tree and he repeated too loud chords changed my life. And to be fair, on his blog is is not entirely convinced about Kindle. The real value will be when google finishes scanning the library of congress, which they are doing, and all that out-of-print material is available. Who will OWN it is one question, but having it available will be a trip.
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