Ted Striphas argues that, although the production and propagation of books have undoubtedly entered a new phase, printed works are still very much a part of our everyday lives. With examples from trade journals, news media, films, advertisements, and a host of other commercial and scholarly materials, Striphas tells a story of modern publishing that proves, even in a rapidly digitizing world, books are anything but dead. From the rise of retail superstores to Oprah's phenomenal reach, Striphas tracks the methods through which the book industry has adapted (or has failed to adapt) to rapid changes in twentieth-century print culture. Barnes & Noble, Borders, and Amazon.com have established new routes of traffic in and around books, and pop sensations like Harry Potter and the Oprah Book Club have inspired the kind of brand loyalty that could only make advertisers swoon. At the same time, advances in digital technology have presented the book industry with extraordinary threats and unique opportunities. Striphas's provocative analysis offers a counternarrative to those who either triumphantly declare the end of printed books or deeply mourn their passing. With wit and brilliant insight, he isolates the invisible processes through which books have come to mediate our social interactions and influence our habits of consumption, integrating themselves into our routines and intellects like never before.

Ted Striphas tracks the methods through which the book industry has adapted (or has failed to adapt) to rapid changes in twentieth-century print culture. With examples from trade journals, news media, films, advertisements, and other commercial and scholarly materials, Striphas tells a story of modern publishing that proves, even in a rapidly digitizing world, books are anything but dead. With wit and brilliant insight, he isolates the invisible processes through which books have come to mediate our social interactions and influence our habits of consumption. This edition features a new preface in which Striphas considers the stakes of abandoning printed books in favor of digital readers.

About the Author
Ted Striphas is assistant professor in the Department of Communication and Culture and adjunct professor of American Studies and Cultural Studies at Indiana University. He is the coeditor of the book Communication as... : Perspectives on Theory and a special issue on intellectual property published by the journal Cultural Studies. To learn more, visit his Web site at www.thelateageofprint.org.

Reviews
This collection of historical and commercial analysis should fascinate those seriously involved with book culture and/or the industry. Publishers Weekly Forget the premature obituaries for books and reading. Striphas insists that books remain a vital presence in the twenty-first century. Booklist The Late Age of Print is an important history of the book and their impact on (mostly) American culture. Sacramento Book Review It is rare to say of a university press hardcover that it is a "must-read," but for those interested in the confluence of culture and economics as it relates to books, that is what The Late Age of Print is. -- Richard Nash Critical Flame This book is a gold mine of information and thought about book culture in the 20th and 21st centuries. -- Gwen M. Gregory Information Today A solid work of scholarship that fills in several significant gaps... Highly Recommended. Choice A magnificent achievement that makes a compelling series of arguments about the continuing importance of books and book publishing. Publishing Research Quarterly Striphas does an excellent job. -- Alan Jacobs Books and Culture What is it that you purchase when you buy a book? In describing the answer, [Striphas]is admirably clear about the choices publishers or booksellers made, and why. Technology and Culture


Awards
Winner of Outstanding Book Award 2010.



Book Information
ISBN 9780231148146
Author Ted Striphas
Format Hardback
Page Count 272
Imprint Columbia University Press
Publisher Columbia University Press