In 1939, the 25¢ paperback made America a nation of readers, delivering thrillers, classics, and Pulitzer-winning books. So why did the Big Five publishers just kill the mass market paperback?

Article isn’t about ebooks and ebook readers specifically, but it’s an interesting look at reading habits and how they change and how publishers react.

  • eBooker T. Washngton@lemmy.zipOPMEnglish
    3·
    8 days ago

    I actually loved the older standard-size style paperbacks. I could just slip in my back pocket and take where ever. I wasn’t aware that they stopped producing them in 2024.

    Now my little xteink reader takes the place of it.

    And this is a very important tidbit from the article that tells us the actual reason people stopped buying paperbacks. Greed of the publishers:

    As to affordability, ¢25 (the price of each of Pocket Books’ titles) went a lot further in 1939 than it does now but was still a consumer-friendly price point. It was just slightly higher than what our great-great-grandparents would have paid for a gallon of gas and slightly lower than what they’d have paid for a dozen eggs. In 2024, the format’s last year of full national distribution, a new mass-market paperback would set you back three times as much as a dozen eggs or a gallon of gas.

    • mesa@piefed.socialEnglish
      3·
      6 days ago

      I used to love those cheap paperbacks. Not that I dont love my ebook reader. Its more a complement because:

      1. A normal paperback will last decades (or longer!)
      2. Does not require a battery for reading.
      3. I can sell it or let others borrow it easy. And its not a huge deal to get it back.

      And I love ebook readers because:

      1. You can adjust just about everything including the font (for my old eyes)
      2. My entire library on one device…or multiple ;)
      3. You can get together and have “digital swap meets” and share your favorite license free editions of your books! hehe

      You can still get some paperbacks with some publishers. But yeah in the US its almost all the more expensive book types. More for looking bright on a shelf rather than reading.

      • eBooker T. Washngton@lemmy.zipOPMEnglish
        1·
        6 days ago

        What really sucks, is that the cheap paperbacks stopped being so cheap. I saw new ones that were $15. But I do still love going to used bookstores and seeing them for $1.75.

        I’m mostly an ebook reader now, but I still buy the occasional rare paperback for my shelves here in my study.