authors beware: 80% of books sell less than 100 copies
Most published books attract few readers and sell few copies. But such books in aggregate can be publicly valuable. … Read the post authors beware: 80% of books sell less than 100 copies
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blockbusters triumph for Internet-era business
Anita Elberse’s new book Blockbusters convincingly argues that promoting blockbusters is the best economic strategy for business even in the Internet era. … Read the post blockbusters triumph for Internet-era business
misery of literary writers in the ancient Islamic world
Intense literary status competition in the ancient Islamic world created considerable misery among literary writers. … Read the post misery of literary writers in the ancient Islamic world
early history of paper not closely connected to elite writing
Paper was more important for wrapping, toilet paper, and record-keeping than for storing and transmitting high-value symbolic arrangements. … Read the post early history of paper not closely connected to elite writing
book curses reduce exchange value
Owner-specified book curses can make new owners of a book feel uncomfortable because of others’ suspicions of theft. … Read the post book curses reduce exchange value