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This week, On the Media is re-airing a show dedicated to one of our favorite topics – books. From Oprah's Book Club to the Google Library Project, the way we buy, search, read and even discuss books is changing. And so we begin with a look at some of the forces now tugging at the industry.
Last November, Amazon unveiled a new electronic book reader whose display incorporates digital ink technology and looks remarkably like paper. Michael McCreary of E-Ink Corporation hopes that consumers will finally give up the dead-tree version of books.
But the death of paper has been predicted for decades now. Bill Powers, media critic for the National Journal, believes that paper isn’t just an old habit, but rather an advanced technology that is nearly impossible to improve upon.
A management consultant dreamed of instantly printing books. An editor dreamed of selling classics that are hard to find in megastores. Together they created the Espresso Book Machine. Their only obstacle: glue. Daniel J. Kramer reports on the ATM machine for literature.
Book review sections around the country are facing fewer pages, shorter reviews and pressure to include best sellers. But does anyone care? Steve Wasserman, former editor of the Los Angeles Times book section, does. He says book reviews are struggling for survival.
Two new translations of Leo Tolstoy's War and Peace came out last fall. It seems everyone agrees that the 460,000-word novel is a masterpiece, but does anyone actually read it? Newsweek's Malcolm Jones says it's worth your time.
We asked and we received. 1,000+ entries later, we conclude our novel challenge with a reading of our favorite 12-word novels submitted by you.
Highlights from Past Shows
In last week’s clashes in Beirut, Hezbollah targeted the headquarters of the Al Mustaqbal television station and newspaper. But this wasn’t a simple case of media suppression. Rami Khouri, editor at large at the Daily Star in Lebanon, explains the political significance of the attacks.
Think you know reality? Ayn Rand did, and through her novels and nonfiction she gave legions of followers a practical philosophy by which to live. Brooke looks at the enduring legacy of the original Objectivist.
On the Media is funded by The Bydale Foundation, The Ford Foundation, The John S. and James L. Knight Foundation and the Overbrook Foundation.
