Jason Epstein, former editorial director of Random House, was the first recipient of the National Book Award for
Distinguished Service to American Letters.
Review
"Congenial, erudite, electrifying, this book is a must read for anyone who cares about books and their
business."--Publishers Weekly starred review
"Epstein is not only thoughtful and experienced, but also a hell of a good writer."--Boston Sunday Globe,
Peter Davison
"Humane, razor sharp, and charmingly told."--Kirkus Reviews starred review
"Reading [Epstein's] book is like enjoying a great jazz impresario: there's a wonderful riff coming at any
moment."--New York Times Book Review, Laurence J. Kirshbaum
"It is possible, even likely, that no one knows more about the publishing industry than Jason Epstein."--Norman
Mailer
"A brilliant, moving and profoundly insightful rendering of the history, status and future of American publishing."
--Toni Morrison
"History, memoir, and prophecy ... [by a] man who has been at the creative heart of American publishing for
fifty years."
--E.L. Doctorow
"A must read for all who love books and publishing and for all who wonder whether either will survive."
--Howard Gardner
"A wise and insightful book on the present state and the future of book publishing."
--Michael Korda
Norton Publishing Web Site, Dec., 2002
Summary
Jason Epstein has led arguably the most creative career in book publishing during the past half-century. He
founded Anchor Books and launched the quality paperback revolution, cofounded the New York Review of Books, and
created of the Library of America, the prestigious publisher of American classics, and The Reader's Catalog, the
precursor of online bookselling. In this short book he discusses the severe crisis facing the book business today--a
crisis that affects writers and readers as well as publishers--and looks ahead to the radically transformed industry
that will revolutionize the idea of the book as profoundly as the introduction of movable type did five centuries
ago.
