Review of Book Wars: The Digital Revolution in Publishing

(John B. Thompson, Polity, £30.00)

Why is the much-predicted death of printed books because of the advent of e-books revolution yet to materialise? Because, according to Thompson, the digital revolution was not just about books, but social factors, personal desires, institutional goals and more.

This fascinating and wide-ranging book takes in the use of data, market segmentation, the influence of technological improvements and, crucially, the user experience. It even covers the phenomenon of crowdfunding and subscription models, and delves into the question of what exactly is a book, and what constitutes an e-book.

Bearing all this in mind, it would prove an excellent basis for a cross-curricula project involving the Computing, English and Economics departments.

On the minus side, it’s easy to become lost in the detail, and by the author’s own admission, instant obsolescence awaits any chronicler of the present. Nevertheless, the book provides a useful overview vast changes happening in the book world.

This review originally appeared in Teach Secondary magazine.