Three Books about Publishing Books
The history of book publishing is the history of the modern world. It is filled with the wackiest book ideas, business models, and so many larger-than-life characters that it all sounds like fiction.
Here are three books about publishing that will help you understand how the books on your bookshelf got there:
Charles A. Madison’s 1966 book Book Publishing in America is a great place to start when wanting to read about the founding of the book industry here in the U.S. It hits all the highlights of firms and technology. It makes sure to focus on the impact of different formats as they roll out across the U.S. I don’t see this one mentioned much. However, that building on the cover is very well known (and still standing!) in Boston. It is The Old Corner Bookstore where the iconic firm Tichnor & Fields started.
Next up is an absolutely fantastic read by Dan Sinykin (he's on BlueSky) titled Big Fiction. This book came out in 2023, so it’s up to date on the industry. It’s pretty loaded on the’ business side’ of things, but there are so many names and book titles in there that you’ll recognize.
You will be amazed to see how cultural trends, economics, publishers, and books collide in such a big way. Very well researched and helpful to understand why you see the books you do inside the bookstores. It breaks things out pretty well by decade, which makes it easy to follow.
The third book I want to mention is my “if you’re going to read one book” recommendation for learning about publishing: John Thompson’s 2012 book Merchants of Culture.
It is a tad more academic and historically leaning than books I’ve read, but it’s done through an archeological or anthropological kind of lens that keeps it from being dry. Everything about trade publishing is in here (except a deep dive into digital publishing). So lots of info on auctions, publishers, authors, shipping, and printing. If you like to read about the business of publishing, this is a cornerstone.
