Anthology Quote by Calvin Trillin
“As part of my research for An Anthology of Authors' Atrocity Stories About Publishers, I conducted a study (employing my usual controls) that showed the average shelf life of a trade book to be somewhere between milk and yoghurt.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The New Yorker, 1998
Trade books have short lifespans, comparable to perishable dairy, underscoring market volatility.
In simple terms: Books don't last long.
Expect brief commercial life.
Themes
Mood
Type
When to use this quote
- author contracts
- library acquisitions
- marketing strategies
Key Concepts
Questions to Reflect On
- How does this affect author expectations?
- What strategies extend a book's relevance?
Shelf life varies by genre and audience.