Borders, and the business of books.

Our ally has taken a blow to the groin.

I'm sure by now you have heard the news that Borders are preparing to file for bankruptcy.

As seekers of the written word I believe this news is not a welcome sight, and indeed I find myself somewhat in a state of despair. Any establishment such as this that offers parchment printed with the written word should be seen as an ally to our council, and our cause.

Borders ultimate demise is a forecast of what is to become of the bookstore. Much in the same way that the brick-and-mortar music store has faded away and been replaced by digital online versions; the bookstore too, particularly the book superstore, is becoming extinct. To quote an article from the WSJ:

"Online shopping, and the advent of e-readers, with their promise of any book, any time, anywhere, and cheaper pricing, have shoppers abandoning Borders and Barnes & Nobles bookstores as they did music stores a decade ago."

Consumer habits are clearly shifting. The hunger for parchment is fading. To think otherwise would be lending yourself to foolishness. My question to the group is this: Do we fight this change and become advocates for parchment to our dying breath. Or do we embrace change? Some in our great council have already taken steps towards the e-reader otherwise known as the Kindle. In fact it may shock members absent from the last council meeting to learn that this member, who shall remain nameless, chose to read Oscar's words in pixel form, thus disregarding our great stamp to mark the completion of the book. I say again, is this madness...or is it simply the sound of inevitability....Mr. Anderson.

I wrote a post on this very same topic back on December 19, 2007, entitled "Bastard Child of Parchment?". It makes for some interesting reading. Especially now that we've had over 3 years to witness the rise of the e-reader and e-books.

Reflect fellow members - and then post your comments for the group to read.

Links to articles I read:

Wall Street Journal

New York Times

An Old Friend with a New Trick

 
Scholars,

I just came across this article.  It appears that our old friend, Vladimir, was not just a literary phenom, but a budding scientist as well.  His theory about butterflies has been vindicated.  This just goes to show what a great selection Lolita was for our esteemed council.

Vlad on Butterflies

Evolution and Economics

Gentlemen, I just thought this a worthy topic of discussion.  One of my readings for a marketing strategy seminar is this book chapter (which I'll send via email), that compares the evolution of biology and human life to that of economics.  Some of it is a little much (i.e. an automobile being born from the womb of the factory), but overall it's pretty interesting.  And who would have thought I'd get to rediscover the Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle in a marketing course.  Anyway, I am skeptical of some of the comparisons myself, especially at the beginning, but others are really interesting.  I especially like the section on mutations of supply and demand (carbohydrates are out, so the we don't demand as much wheat production) as well as the dialectical process (would it really matter if the Battle of Hastings had gone the other way?)

Again, please don't feel obligated to read or comment, I just thought it worth putting up here.