So Long Net Book Agreement

Very fine article over in LRB by an erstwhile editor. The sense of confusion and, at times, angry dismay, at what the recession etc is doing to publishing is given a good meaningful overview.

If anything it just highlights that commercial concerns are a dead end, both for writers and publishers. Indeed, nowadays it seems like a very good idea to forget commercial aims and concentrate only on the writing. Another good thing about Colin Robinson's article is that it reminds everyone the importance of reading: to read is as important - or even more important at times - than to being read.