Death Of The Printed Page

This has been coming for some time, and will continue to its inevitable end, but I was fighting the good fight.

I don't do E-books.  When I read, I want it to be a printed page - be it a book, magazine, or newspaper.  Reading, to me, does not involve looking at an electronic screen that has somehow transposed millions of electrons into something the human eye can recognize.  (Funny I should say that, you say ... after all, what am I writing on now????)

My wife and I subscribed to the local newspaper for about 30 years.  We finally gave it up after its latest price increase, which put it at about $1.50 per day.  On top of the price, the content has steadily decreased, and the newspaper itself seems bent on getting rid of itself by advertising its web presence.  Now, we just pick up the Sunday edition from a local store.  I do miss my paper when having my morning coffee, but the missing decreases the longer it is gone.

What brought this up?

This past weekend I picked up the latest Dale Brown novel.  It is one of his works that bypassed hardcover and went straight to paperback.  Its list price was $9.99.  TEN BUCKS for a paperback novel.  Its as if they are begging you not to buy it.