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The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know® Kindle Edition

4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

Many of us read books every day, either electronically or in print. We remember the books that shaped our ideas about the world as children, go back to favorite books year after year, give or lend books to loved ones and friends to share the stories we've loved especially, and discuss important books with fellow readers in book clubs and online communities. But for all the ways books influence us, teach us, challenge us, and connect us, many of us remain in the dark as to where they come from and how the mysterious world of publishing truly works. How are books created and how do they get to readers?

The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know® introduces those outside the industry to the world of book publishing. Covering everything from the beginnings of modern book publishing early in the 20th century to the current concerns over the alleged death of print, digital reading, and the rise of Amazon, Mike Shatzkin and Robert Paris Riger provide a succinct and insightful survey of the industry in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format. The authors, veterans of "trade publishing," or the branch of the business that puts books in our hands through libraries or bookstores, answer questions from the basic to the cutting-edge, providing a guide for curious beginners and outsiders. How does book publishing actually work? What challenges is it facing today? How have social media changed the game of book marketing? What does the life cycle of a book look like in 2019? They focus on how practices are changing at a time of great flux in the industry, as digital creation and delivery are altering the commercial realities of the book business.

This book will interest not only those with no experience in publishing looking to gain a foothold on the business, but also those working on the inside who crave a bird's eye view of publishing's evolving landscape. This is a moment of dizzyingly rapid change wrought by the emergence of digital publishing, data collection, e-books, audio books, and the rise of self-publishing; these forces make the inherently interesting business of publishing books all the more fascinating.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"There are at least a dozen books that distinguish themselves by offering a broad perspective on the undertaking. The starting point has to be Mike Shatzkin's (and [Robert] Riger's) The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know...It's intended to be breezy―'a succinct and insightful survey of the industry in an easy-to-read question-and-answer format.' It succeeds." -- Publishers Weekly

"In a remarkably concise, clear-eyed fashion, the authors sum up the history and future of book publishing, and demystify its arcane processes for the novice. Even those in the business would benefit from reading this primer." - Lorraine W. Shanley, President of Market Partners International

"Mike Shatzkin and Robert Riger have written the essential guide to trade publishing in the United States. The Book Business: What Everyone Needs To Know provides a concise, timely, and engaging overview of how books are conceived, planned, sold, and (sometimes) returned. The book offers well-formed perspectives on bookselling, the rise of digital books, the growth of online sales, and the future of book publishing. This book sets the table for anyone interested in how publishing works and how the industry may yet evolve."--Brian O'Leary, Executive Director, Book Industry Study Group

"In a remarkably concise, clear-eyed fashion, the authors sum up the history and future of book publishing, and demystify its arcane processes for the novice. Even those in the business would benefit from reading this primer."--Lorraine Shanley, President of Market Partners International

"For years publishing professionals turned to Riger and Shatzkin for answers to difficult questions. Now writers, students, and others with basic questions about the book business can access their diligent research and knowledgeable answers"--Michael Cader, Founder, Publishers Lunch and PublishersMarketplace.com

About the Author

Mike Shatzkin has been a consultant to the book publishing industry and its trading partners on supply chain and digital change issues for more than four decades. His clients have included every major US publisher, many non-US publishers, retailers including Borders and Barnes & Noble, wholesalers including Ingram and Baker & Taylor, and a variety of printers, literary agencies, and digital startups.

Robert Paris Riger (1961 - 2018) was a longtime publisher and author. He ran both major book club organizations before he was 30, co-founded the publishing consulting firm Market Partners International, and spent several years at Barnes & Noble building and leading the marketing for their Spark Notes program. He was most recently VP and Director of Pimsleur Language Programs at Simon & Schuster. Robert was fluent in several languages, including German and French, and experienced publishing's digital transition on the frontlines with Spark Notes and Pimsleur. He died unexpectedly a month after this book's manuscript was completed.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07MTFMLGW
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Oxford University Press (February 1, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ February 1, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 565 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Not Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 184 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.3 4.3 out of 5 stars 31 ratings

Customer reviews

4.3 out of 5 stars
31 global ratings

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Top reviews from the United States

  • Reviewed in the United States on July 23, 2024
    This book is an excellent introduction to the world of publishing. It provides readers not only a brief history of the industry but also projects its subsequent trajectory. I can see this book being relevant for upcoming writers wanting to explore the differences between traditional and self-publishing and for upcoming editors wanting to enter the industry.
  • Reviewed in the United States on June 16, 2021
    Shatzkin has been in the book business for decades and this book shares good info about the book business. There are some terms in the book that are used and there is an assumption that you know what they are. In a book with the subtitle "What Everyone Needs to Know" these terms really should have been defined.

    From reading Shatzkin's blog and other articles about the book business I was familiar with the concept of a backlist. If you are not familiar with a backlist and only read this book I don't think you necessarily get the full concept.

    If you do an internet search for "backlist" the University of North Georgia Press has a good page giving the core definition of backlist. If you read Shatzkin's book with that knowledge of backlist the use of the word in the book means more.

    If a future edition is created, I highly encourage that several people with no knowledge of the book business be given this book to read and see what questions they have. The answers to those questions could be additionally incorporated into the book. Another strategy would be to highlight book terms mentioned in the book and ask these same people what the terms mean after reading the book. If they cannot correctly define what the terms mean that would suggest the book should give additional background/introduction on these terms.

    To maximize the value of the book in the current form I would search terms from the book and read articles that define or use those terms to make sure that you fully understand them. What is difficult is that if you are truly new to the concepts you may not realize that you fully do not understand the terms.
    6 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on August 30, 2019
    Very informative-All you need to know about the book business.
  • Reviewed in the United States on September 19, 2019
    I received a copy of this book for participating in the Digital Book World 2019 conference (great conference by the way). I wasn't sure what to expect from the book, and was a bit surprised to see that the entire book is written in a simple question and answer style. But once I started reading, I was extremely pleased with the amazing insights that Mike Shatzkin and the late Robert Paris Riger provide in this rather slim volume. It is packed with an easy-to-read history of how the publishing industry has evolved over the past 30 or 40 years. There is info on all the major players and projections on how publishing and book consumption and sales may evolve over the coming years. Very useful book and I highly recommend for anyone who wants a quick, painless, and actionable intro into the world of publishing.
    4 people found this helpful
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  • Reviewed in the United States on March 1, 2019
    As someone who simply loves to read, I found The Book Business to be informative, succinct, and full of interesting tidbits about the book world. It covers topics such as the publishing process, historic and current industry trends, e-books, audiobooks, and so on. I would recommend The Book Business to anyone who loves books. - Kumari S.
    4 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Bill Prentice
    5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent overview
    Reviewed in Canada on February 18, 2020
    Knowledgeable and easy to read snapshot of the evolving book industry. While the focus is on the traditional industry players, good coverage is given to the rapidly growing self-publishing and audio book segments. Highly recommended.

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