MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - Are Publishers, to Blame For The Decline Of Books?

GA Russell · 05-31-2011, 05:19 PM

I may be wrong, but I am under the impression that reading was at its peak in the US between 1895 and 1930 - when the inexpensive pulp magazines were available and popular.

As I see it, reading declined when people bought radios to listen to. The motion picture may have contributed some as well, but people went to the movies only once a week.

I think that the popularity of the pulps was based in large part on their low price. Today we see books with $30 price points, notwithstanding the bestsellers' being discounted down to half that. And mass market paperbacks are now up to 7 and 8 dollars.

I can't help but think that the publishers are pricing themselves out of business.

05-31-2011, 05:19 PM	#31
GA Russell Stamps beat Riders Posts: 7,698 Karma: 31487351 Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Raleigh, NC Device: Paperwhite, Kindles 10 & 4 and jetBook Lite	I may be wrong, but I am under the impression that reading was at its peak in the US between 1895 and 1930 - when the inexpensive pulp magazines were available and popular. As I see it, reading declined when people bought radios to listen to. The motion picture may have contributed some as well, but people went to the movies only once a week. I think that the popularity of the pulps was based in large part on their low price. Today we see books with $30 price points, notwithstanding the bestsellers' being discounted down to half that. And mass market paperbacks are now up to 7 and 8 dollars. I can't help but think that the publishers are pricing themselves out of business.