E-books and ‘Real Books’

‘Given the complicated nature of e-books, and the fact that the digital landscape and publishing industry change frequently, this is not a topic that many scholars are brave enough to tackle – but that is also why it is needed. Laura Dietz’s rich scholarly engagement and far-reaching data survey make this essential reading for those looking to understand book publishing in the twenty-first century.’ Rachel Noorda, Associate Professor and Director of Book Publishing, Portland State University‘A nuanced survey of readerly perceptions around ebooks, this is a study that respects the complexities of engaging with the material and shows appreciation for the deeply contextual nature of the arguments concerned, dispelling notions of a rigid binary set up by metaphors around ‘the death of the book’ or ‘book wars’. This is an informative and insightful contribution to scholarly field of publishing studies.’ Simon Rowberry, Lecturer in Publishing, University College London

Laura Dietz is a Lecturer in Publishing at University College London. She speaks and publishes widely on reading, authorship, and digital literary culture, serving on related prize, festival, and conference committees, editorial boards, and the Board of Directors of the Society for the History of Authorship, Reading and Publishing.