Book covers Quote by Mark Forsyth
““It is, incidentally, a favour that e-books have done for the Good Bookshop: they have made books beautiful again. A few years ago, book covers could be rather drab affairs: the title and the author's name printed over a stock photograph of something Vaguely Relevant. If you wanted to read it, you had to take it as it was. Whereas now, in these new and glorious days when the margins on physical are that little bit higher than on the electrical alternative, publishers produce exquisite bindings. Bookshops haven't been this pretty for at least a century.””
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Bookshop Review, 2015
E‑books have revived interest in physical books, prompting publishers to create more beautiful designs and restoring aesthetic appeal to bookstores.
In simple terms: E‑books made physical books look good again.
Key Takeaway
Embrace quality design in print.
Themes
design
publishing
books
aesthetics
consumer trends
Mood
nostalgic
optimistic
Type
observational
analytical
When to use this quote
- bookstore design
- publishing decisions
- marketing strategies
Key Concepts
visual appeal
market dynamics
cultural nostalgia
Questions to Reflect On
- How can independent bookstores leverage design to attract customers?
- What role does aesthetics play in reading habits?
A Different Perspective
Physical books still face competition from digital formats.
![“Wouldst like to con a glimmer with me this early black?’, which he [Cab Calloway] helpfully explains as ‘the proper way to ask a young lady to go to the movies’. It should be noted here, that if the object of your affections replies ‘Kill me’, they are not requesting to be euthanatised and you…” quote by Mark Forsyth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/6c4/mark-forsyth-19782_cab-calloway_wouldst-like-to-con-a-glimmer-with-me-th_738657.jpg)
