Where did the story of ebooks begin?

Peter James's Host, published on two disks, was an early example – but exactly where the medium started life is surprisingly tricky to identifyWhat was the first ebook? Debate rages … When Peter James published his thriller Host on two floppy disks, in 1993, it was billed as the "world's first electronic novel", and attacked as a harbinger of the apocalypse which would destroy literature as we knew it. Now it has been accepted into the Science Museum's collection as one of the earliest examples of the form, as the spotlight of academia begins to shine on the history of digital publishing."I got absolutely pilloried," says James. "I was on Today accused of killing the novel, I was a front-page headline on papers in Italy – 99% of the press was negative … one journalist even took his computer on a wheelbarrow to the beach, along with a generator, to read Host in his deckchair."The digital version of the novel (it was also published physically) went on to sell 12,000 copies, according to James, and two years later, he was speaking on a panel on the future of the novel at the University of Southern California, together with Apple founder Steve Jobs. "I said ebooks would catch on when they became more convenient to read than the printed novel," said James. "It was astonishing the amount of outrage it caused."And Host – about a scientist who downloads his brain into a computer and has his body frozen – has now become a historical artefact, accepted into the Science Museum's... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]

Other news stories related to: "Where did the story of ebooks begin?"


Frankfurt: German Comic Book Scene Grows in Partnerships

At the Frankfurt Book Fair's comics center, German publishers see growing interest from readers and are expanding into manga and manwha. The post Frankfurt: German Comic Book Scene Grows in Partnerships appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2023-10-20 12:38:10 UTC ]
More news stories like this


U.S. Book Show Highlights Arabic Culture with SZBA Panel

With the growing interest in the U.S., this year’s U.S. Book Show will feature a panel discussion entitled “Bringing the world to your door: A spotlight on Arabic literature and culture.” For centuries, Arabic literature and culture has influenced some of the West's most revered authors and... Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2022-05-19 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Agents Highlight Leading Christian Publishing Trends

Literary agents specializing in Christian publishing discuss the latest industry trends, including a growing interest in self-help as well as books geared toward millennials. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-03-11 04:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Aging Media Expands Into Mental Health Industry With Sixth Vertical

Aging Media Network, the Chicago-based B2B media company specializing in the business of senior care, is kicking off 2020 with the launch of an additional online publication, Behavioral Health Business (BHB), serving the mental health and substance abuse treatment industry, the company... Continue reading at Folio Magazine

[ Folio Magazine | 2020-01-07 19:09:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Indie Bookstores Find New Love for Romance Books

Politics and Prose and Harvard Book Store both have newly minted sections for romance books, signs of growing interest in a genre that indie booksellers have traditionally paid little attention to. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-05-11 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Publishers Hop on the STEAM Train at Toy Fair 2018

Growing interest in science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics was one of the overriding themes across the show floor at last week’s New York Toy Fair—and books on them all got their fair share of attention Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2018-02-23 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Competition Celebrates German Children’s Book Translators

Growing interest in German children's books led to a translation competition to identify up-and-coming translators. Here we announce the top translators. The post Competition Celebrates German Children’s Book Translators appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2016-12-01 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


French Fair Set for Hunter College

Looking to take advantage of the growing interest in French dual-language programs (DLP), the first Bilingual Education Fair of New York is set to be held this weekend at New York City’s Hunter College. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2014-10-09 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Ad Age's 2014 Hispanic Fact Pack Is Out Now

Buoyed by marketers' growing interest in Hispanic millennials as consumers and trendsetters, the Hispanic media market continues to outpace overall growth in the U.S. ad industry. Ad Age's eleventh-annual Hispanic Fact Pack, distributed with the July 28 issue of the magazine, includes... Continue reading at Advertising Age

[ Advertising Age | 2014-07-29 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


Where did the story of ebooks begin?

Peter James's Host, published on two disks, was an early example – but exactly where the medium started life is surprisingly tricky to identifyWhat was the first ebook? Debate rages … When Peter James published his thriller Host on two floppy disks, in 1993, it was billed as the "world's first... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2014-03-12 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this


The Growing Interest in Digital Backlist

Whether they call themselves publishers or distributors, whether they promise elaborate marketing plans, or the basic production tasks necessary to get an ebook up for sale, there are a growing number of companies selling (and acquiring) backlist books. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2013-02-08 00:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this