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Category Archives: Books
Books Published, Indexed, Digitized, 1650-2000
8 million books were published prior to the 19th century, while 1 million books were published in 2008 alone. Sine the invention of the movable type, an estimated 100 million books have been printed. The graph below shows the number … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Data growth, Statistics
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The Rise and Rise of e-Books
Twenty years ago, Sony launched the Data Discman. Its purpose was to provide quick access to electronic reference information on a pre-recorded disc. Yesterday, the Pew Internet published a new report on e-reading: “One-fifth of American adults (21%) report that they have … Continue reading
Posted in Books, ebooks
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If You Can’t Beat Them, Join Them
Today in 2002, the lawsuit that was filed by Random House against e-book publisher Rosetta Books for acquiring titles directly from authors, was decided in favor of Rosetta Books. The court’s decision paved the way for authors to publish their work electronically, … Continue reading
Posted in Apple, Books, ebooks, This day in information
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The Penguin Takes Off
Today in 1935, the first ten Penguin Books, paperback reprints of titles previously published as hardbacks, are issued by publisher Allen Lane. Each title costs only sixpence each, the price of a pack of cigarettes, and all the titles feature the Penguin … Continue reading
Posted in Books, This day in information
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Project Gutenberg Born
Forty years ago today, Michael Hart keyed in The United States Declaration of Independence to the mainframe he was using, all in upper case, because there was no lower case yet. Hart was a student at the University of Illinois … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Digitization, This day in information
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Nineteen Eighty-Four Published
Today in 1949, George Orwell’s Nineteen Eighty-Four was published. “The thought police would get him just the same. He had committed–would have committed, even if he had never set pen to paper–the essential crime that contained all others in itself. Thoughtcrime, … Continue reading
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Digital Tipping Point: Kindle Books vs. Print Books
Amazon.com now sells more Kindle books than print books. The press release says: “Since April 1, for every 100 print books Amazon.com has sold, it has sold 105 Kindle books. This includes sales of hardcover and paperback books by Amazon … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Digitization, Tipping points
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Four Centuries of Publishing Success
Today in 1611, the The King James, or Authorised, Version of the Bible was published.
Posted in Books, Lost and Found, This day in information
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What Novels Do to Our Minds
“NOVELS have ever met with a ready reception into the Libraries of the Ladies, but this species of writing hath not been received with universal approbation: Futility is not the only charge brought against it — Any attempt, therefore, to … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Quotes, This day in information
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Do You Want to Be a Culturomist?
Science published yesterday a “Quantitative Analysis of Culture Using Millions of Digitized Books,” an analysis of all the words in about “4% of all books ever printed.” The article (modestly) heralds the arrival of Culturomics, a “new science” which “extends … Continue reading
Posted in Books, Language, Social Impact
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