The End of Publishing? New York Magazine's Grim Forecast

In direct contrast to my sunny observations of two weeks ago, the latest issue of New York Magazine offers some pretty depressing commentary about the state of the publishing industry. (Article in September 14, 2008 edition entitled "The End").

Is it the same for art book publishing? From my observations it seems that serious publishers of art and photography books are publishing a similar number of titles as in the past, but print runs are smaller and supplemented by reprints when needed. Maybe they have faired a little better than their high-flying trade colleagues by proceding cautiously...? I'll find out more about how optimistic my friends in the world of illustrated books are in a few weeks at the Frankfurt Book Fair.

My personal opinion is that ultimately books will continue in the physical form that we known of in those cases where their content is best, or most engagingly, represented in that tangible form. There has to be a reason for a book to be a book -- otherwise it is information that could be more easily accessed and disseminated on-line.

Incredibly, my own mother now has a Kindle! And though I am a die-hard book fan I guess I could enjoy reading a novel on the Kindle if I had to. But art and photography books are a different matter. In this case, a finely produced illustrated book has an important function, where the sensual experience of the object itself contributes to the message intended by the book, and to the recipients' enjoyment. And assuming that more and more information that was formerly contained in books and magazines migrates on line, a printed, physical, object will communicate that what's inside is particularly significant.