"A Plume book." Includes bibliographical references (pages 425-429) and index.
Contents:
Preface to the second edition -- Preface to the first edition -- Introduction -- The growth of the retail chains -- The rise of literary agents -- The emergence of publishing corporations -- The polarization of the field -- Big books -- Extreme publishing -- Shrinking windows -- The wild west -- The digital revolution -- Trouble in the trade -- Conclusion: Facing an uncertain future -- Appendix 1: Selected imprints of the main publishing corporations -- Appendix 2: Note on research methods.
Summary:
""All you need to know about the industry at a time of momentous change."--Drake McFeely, chairman and president, W.W. Norton & Company. For nearly five centuries, the world of book publishing remained largely static. But at the dawn of the twenty-first century, the industry faces a combination of economic pressures and technological change that is forcing publishers to alter their practices and think hard about the future of the book. John Thompson's riveting account dissects the roles of publishers, agents, and booksellers in the United States and Britain, charting their transformation since the 1960s. Offering an in-depth analysis of how the digital revolution is changing the game today, Merchants of Culture is the one book that anyone with a stake in the industry needs to read"-- Provided by publisher.
This resource is supported by the Institute of Museum and Library Services under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act as administered by State Library of Iowa.