“The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated“, said the legendary author Mark Twain, after it was incorrectly reported in London newspapers back in 1897 that he was dying. Hard to believe, isn’t it, that London newspapers could publish inaccurate and indeed offensive stories. It would never happen today, except that the newspaper industry is responsible for more inaccurate and deceitful reporting than ever before. Hopefully, reports of the death of the British newspaper industry are not greatly exaggerated.
Today, Thursday 5th March 2026, is World Book Day. Reports of the death of books have been predicted for many years. After all, if books had followed the same path as music, everyone would be using various tablets to read books instead of actual books made of paper. Downloading ‘books’ is easy and it’s cheaper than buying actual books, free in some cases, especially if you are not fussy about what you read. And some say e-books are more convenient to use than books, less bulky and space consuming. Again, all true. So why, if the hard copy music industry is in a state of terminal decline, apart from a modest increase in the numbers buying vinyl, have people stuck with actual books?
When my partner and I go on holiday, my luggage is stuffed to the gunnels with paperbacks whereas her books are stored on a neat little ‘Kindle’. And I can see why she does it. She can download any number of books to her device whereas I fret about running out of paperbacks. But, as with actual records, whether that’s vinyl or CDs, I love having my own personal copies. I know books are not practical in many ways, but I like the way the look, I like the way they feel and I enjoy the process of turning from page to page. A Kindle is not, and doesn’t look or feel like, a proper book.
When it comes to buying music, I am in an increasingly small minority, much to the chagrin of my long-suffering partner who has to live with the ‘clutter’, as she calls it, represented by my excessive music purchases. Unfortunately, she takes a similar view to my book purchases, too. “Oh no: not another book. You’ll never get round to reading them all,” is a familiar refrain and while there is (more than) a grain of truth in that comment, I just love that period in between books when you choose the next one to read. Ideally, I’d choose a book I bought a while ago and read them in some sort of chronological order, but of course I don’t. At the moment, I am reading my most recently purchased book, Ian Leslie’s sublime John & Paul: a love story in songs. I had initially reserved it for the sun bed later this year but the moment I finished my previous read, Dip My Brain In Joy by Yvonne Innes, widow of the brilliant Neil of Bonzo Dog and Rutles fame, the need to read what could be the last great Beatles book was simply too much. The other God knows how many books – and the number is in significant double figures – will have to wait. Yet while paying for hard copies of music appears to be in terminal decline, the same cannot be said about books. Not only have book sales remained relatively constant, in recent years they have increased.
I cannot know why this is, but is it because people feel the same way as I do about the glory of books, especially fresh, new copies. I love a bookshop, too, and I have a strict policy whereby if I visit an independent shop, I will buy a book. My partner despairs at the impending arrival of yet more ‘clutter’ but my love of books and my wish to ensure the writer actually gets paid for their work override all other considerations.
Not all the books I read are great and some end up at the second hand bookshops, in my case the Thornbury Lions book shop in, surprisingly, Thornbury, South Gloucestershire. Some argue that second hand books mean an author doesn’t get paid, but all being well they have already been paid once by way of the original publication and if the reader likes the second hand book, then aren’t they more likely to buy new work by the same people? In any event, the cost of living crisis affects more people from far wider backgrounds than you might imagine so second hand bookshops can ensure that everyone gets the chance to read. That, surely, must be applauded? And as with the Thornbury Lions, they raise vast sums for good causes. It’s all good.
Given that so many of us – and I am as guilty as anyone – spend too much of our time doomscrolling via our mobile phones and tablets, then reading a book represents a far better way of spending our time, rather than checking out someone’s tiresome holiday photo dump.
I am both hooked and besotted by John & Paul: a love story in songs as I tend to be when consuming the best writing. Along with listening to music, there’s nothing quite like it. Most writers don’t make enough to live on. Indeed, many of us – us, I ask you – spend more money to sustain our writing than we do in income but perhaps a running theme is that we hope our readers enjoy what we produce.
I’ll be celebrating World Book Day in my usual manner, by reading my book. It may make me laugh, it may make me cry. My John & Paul book has done both so far and my life is so much better because I bought this book.
Finally, a recommendation. I used to buy my books from Amazon. Where possible – and it is not always possible – I tend to buy from independent sellers and not from fascist-supporting Jeff Bezos’ monopoly behemoth. Locally, you take your pick. Nationally, I recommend the excellent Blackwell’s, whose final price includes postage. Amazon aggressively price matches and undercuts independent businesses at all levels but I don’t mind paying a little extra to support the indies. If you can afford to, neither should you.
Happy World Book Day to you.
