Do you think that the ebook will take over the paper books?

[shelly blomker]

I heard from a few book sellers that have told me that the paper books won't be around in about 20 to 25 years from now. Do you think that will be true?

[So Many Books, So Little Time]

No I have a kindle and love it but it is for when on holiday and to review ebooks publishers or authors have contacted me to write.  I love my treebooks and will always have them

[Henia Stein]

True, we are inreasing our dependency on technology and I am sure this won't stop... however, there is nothing that can replace the 'feel' of a book in your hands, and the look of books on your shelves.  At least for me, I love ebooks but will still want to go to a bookstore, meander through the shelves, find my section, and select books to buy!

[Richard Lee Byers]

I don't know about the time frame, but I do think that ultimately, paper-and-ink books will go away except for special collector's items. Old guys like me love the kind of books we've been reading all our lives, but a generation is coming (if it's not already here) that won't share our attachment. And let's face it, ebooks present enormous advantages for writers, middlemen (assuming we will still have those), and consumers alike.

[Allie Smith]

im only 20yrs old and id rather look for my books on amazon or a bookshop in hardcover or paperback than buy an ebook or ebook reader...people these days need to slow down and sit and read if people werent so nutty about technology then no one would ever have to worry about losing actual books....

[Athina Paris]

I think it depends.

Some people will always love the printed version.

There is nothing like smelling brand new pages, and flicking through an unread book.

And libraries full of books are some people's obssession.

Therefore, paper might become the minority as they'll sell us the idea that we're saving trees, etc.

So reading won't stop, what will change is the format how we do it.

It's the same thing that happened with mobile phones.

Landlines still exist, phone calls are still being made, the only thing that changed is how we make them.

[Jeff Mariotte]

Here's an article with some actual data about this topic: http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/aug/30/death-books-exaggerated

[Shyla Raven]

I don't think ebooks will ever completely replace paperbacks.  While I love downloading shorter stories on my Kindle while on the go, when it comes to massive epic novels, or other heavy-weights, nothing beats the feel of the book in my hands. Completely Irreplaceable..  but then again, I'm really, really old school LOL

 

 

[Sharonda]

I highly doubt it...I work for a major bookseller & people still want the paperbacks & hardcovers. ebooks are a convenience, not here to take over paper books.

[Grace]

I wish they still sold some books in scroll format.  I'm picturing myself sitting on the metro reading one just to see how random people would react.  It would be a lot of fun.

 

___________________

Books Without Any Pictures

[ManOfLaBook.com]

I don't agree with those who say that the "feel" of a book is what will make the difference. After all, the books we buy at the store are NOT the nice, cloth bound/leather bound books with excellent printing and prestige format pages.

No, these books fall apart and the pages get yellow before I get to my home from the store.

 

I do agree though that eBooks are just another method for delivering a product. They are not intended to be instead of paper books, but an addition to them.

 

http://www.ManOfLaBook.com

[Nicholas Borelli]

I do believe it will happen. The cost of manufacturing a physical book will become simply too much for a publishing business that is wrestling with technology that is changing much more rapidly than the old paradigm.

 

Nick Borelli

[Jeff Mariotte]

There's a page 1 article in the NY Times today supporting my theory that e-books are mostly eating into the sales of mass market paperbacks. Hardcovers and trade paperbacks aren't going anywhere, but mass market is diminishing fast.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/03/business/media/mass-market-paperb...