The triumph of the book

There's much talk about the renaissance of vinyl records that's been going on for a good few years now,

but what about books?

There was a time when Kindle's first came out, that the demise of physical books seemed inevitable. Independent book shops were closing left, right and centre, and even the main chains we re struggling. But then what happened? Well, perhaps readers began to value again the convenience of a physical book, and also the tactile, intellectual pleasure that a good book held in your hands, or resting on a shelf, can bring. The trend seemed to reverse.

Books can have a smell, a texture, a weight. Wear in a physical book can be a sign of neglect, but can also, equally, be a sign that it is beloved. In this they show a very human quality, which a stream of binary code cannot match.

It is in this that there is the triumph of the book.