As American publishers and booksellers prepare for their annual convention, this year in New York City June 1-3, their universe continues to contract.

And yet, somehow, they persevere. No one understands this.

Electronic things were supposed to supplant ink and paper things a long time ago.

Independent bookstores were supposed to go away. That didn't happen either. They are diminished but not discouraged.

Small publishers with high standards and small print runs were supposed to die off. Some have, many have not.

Straws in the wind blow in many directions. I prefer the straws still floating in sunshine.

"I am a book junkie," writes Donna Karlin in her blog. "There's no question about it and I can never get enough to read, for my profession, life, or to feed and nourish my imagination but truthfully how many are still reading and how often? ... how many books have YOU read this year?"

She continues, "...those who can read and don't are functional illiterates; don't as in never, by choice, not sporadically as time allows. There's a difference. There is so much richness to books, all literature in various forms, that our world would be very mundane without the concepts, mental images and perspectives that come out of books of any kind."

Of course, if you seek bad news you can find it. Big publishers continue to eat up small ones. Latest figures on national book sales are not rosy.

Bookstore sales fell 6.8% in March, to $998 million, according to the US Census Bureau. It was the third consecutive month in which bookstore sales have declined while at the same time overall retail sales were slightly up.

But really, who cares how many sell this month? Books have lost none of their ability to change minds as well as open them. Books have the remarkable power to change people, and that power has not gone away.

Then there's just plain silly book news: Publishers Weekly reports that "... Atria Books made a reservation with Ritz-Carlton to do a collection of short stories by some of its authors to be called Turndown Tales -- the hotel chain would give the paperback free to customers for a month as part of its evening turndown service.

"But... the first draft of the pillow-drop project was initially turned down by Ritz-Carlton because of 'language issues' and 'some racy content.'"

This tempest in a tea cosy reminds us that the battle for free speech in books was won long ago. While racy or violent content on TV, the Internet, in video games, continues to be litigated and pontificated upon, you can pretty much publish whatever you want in a book.

In the 1950s and 60s the case against Allen Ginsberg's poem "Howl" was laughed out of court, James Joyce stormed past the postal inspectors, and Grove Press won the right to publish pornography with their literature. It's so over.

These days most censorship battles seem more silly than serious. Occupants of Ritz Carlton beds may well accomplish acts that would make a pornographer blush, but they won't be reading bad words in the books placed artfully on their plush pillows.

Blogger Karlin says, "As long as there are readers, there will be books written and published."

And of course, I could not agree more.

Aired Sunday May 20, 2007 at 10:55 am and Wednesday May 23, 2007 at 1:00 pm

Notes:

Home page for BookExpo: http://www.bookexpoamerica.com/

Donna Karlin's blog: http://blog.fastcompany.com/experts/dkarlin/2007/05/reading_books_here_to_stay.html?partner=rss

Publishers Weekly: http://www.publishersweekly.com/

Our readers respond to Words On Books:

Paul Takushi writes:

Bookstore sales fell 6.8% in March, to $998 million, according to the US Census Bureau. It was the third consecutive month in which bookstore sales have declined while at the same time overall retail sales were slightly up.

Everyone's saving their money for Harry Potter VII. It lists for $35, in case anyone's keeping score.

Let's say the first print run in the US alone is 10 mil. That's $350 mil at full retail. Let's say that most copies will sell at 20% off - that's still $280 mil. gross to bookstores. And what about the publisher, Scholastic (Harper)? They'll get 54% of $350 mil, or $189 mil.

But really, who cares how many sell this month? Books have lost none of their ability to change minds as well as open them. Books have the remarkable power to change people, and that power has not gone away.

I can honestly say that Blink and The Omnivore's Dilemma changed my life.

Then there's just plain silly book news: Publishers Weekly reports that "... Atria Books made a reservation with Ritz-Carlton to do a collection of short stories by some of its authors to be called Turndown Tales ­ the hotel chain would give the paperback free to customers for a month as part of its evening turndown service.

"But... the first draft of the pillow-drop project was initially turned down by Ritz-Carlton because of 'language issues' and 'some racy content.'

Hey, I hear that they have a VERY competent staff of editors working at Ritz-Carlton.....waiting on tables....serving drinks....and turning down beds.

Cheers,
Paul Takushi

Nancy Kael writes:

I think also, books with depth and complex issues need to reach the market more than they are. I have a stack of half read "disappointments" beside my bed weekly to donate to various sources. There was a quote in Poets and Writers that the current featured author was told by his editors: Thats too complicated. Americans want their fiction kept simple. Or some such insult to our ability to comprehend and benefit from a truly well conceived and well written book. That kind of thinking doesn't help get the good stuff on the market so we can have access to higher level thinking than airplane mysteries, which I also enjoy, but want both! Sounded way too good!! I need to do some of that soon.

Nancy

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