We raise our hats to Nicholas Clee in the Guardian for spelling out succinctly what we have been trying to say here. It’s a pity he isn’t still at The Bookseller. Meanwhile we read in the Times of the usual doom re the death of the book in the Times yesterday. Did the article say anything new or exciting or even positive? Unfortunately just another space filling article by another business analyst.
We then read the biggest non article to get air yesterday on the Atiz Booksnap book ripper. They may as well have used an off the shelf scanner and OCR package. The reviewer thought as little of it as we they colunmn inches it was given.The conclusion that the publishing industry could be Napstered by students and consumers making ‘illigal’ or dubious scans was interesting given the current activities of one certain omnivore at work in libraries around the globe!
It must be the digital silly season or is it a certain pay to speak, exhibit and attend event in New York that is stimulating digital mania in the press?
But then comes a breath of fresh air from that book star and number one bookseller – no not jef bezos but Oprah Winfrey. She has announced that a free downloadable PDF version of Suze Orman's bestselling book WOMEN & MONEY (published a year ago by Spiegel & Grau) is to be available at Oprah.com today and tomorrow. It is to be offered in both English and Spanish and will include a clear copyright notice that reads, ‘This book is copyrighted. You may view and download the file, but you may not copy the file or share or forward it to any other person.’
No doubt we will here much more from the paid speaking slots but its Oprah who knows how to stir an audience and market!
