I am glad that two of my colleagues describe themselves as Luddites but let's face it, we can't stop time. I was walking home with my Dunkin'Donuts iced coffee today thinking about the future of books. How will I remain in my profession when TWILIGHT is now a graphic novel and Crumb's GENESIS is a huge best seller on the graphic book best seller list. For that matter, when did the graphic novel best seller list make it's debut?
There will always be books, but I have started to think that they will not always be on paper. And when I am my father's age (92) won't it be better when books read themselves to me? Because that's where I see it going.
That leads me to my future as a book doctor. In my image of the future there is a new name for 'book' just as we started using ebooks and found it become part of the English language. I wonder what we will call those books that read themselves to us?
The future is limitless but there will need to be specialists to cut and splice or work with digital doodads--I have no idea--but there won't be editors like us luddites working with redline software.
That's one editor's opinion. Hopefully I'll win the lottery and be able to kick back and listen to all the books I've never gotten around to reading for pleasure.
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Maybe they will still be called books . . . just as we still "dial" telephone numbers and "type" on keyboards . . . and I for one still listen to "records" even though they are now digital
ReplyDeleteGood point, Karl. Once in a while I am wearing "dungarees." That would be comfortable. But people are already talking about 'Vooks.' More will be revealed.
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