Are Books Still “Different”?

by Caroline Koegler

The famous 1962 precedent at the Restrictive Practices Court of the United Kingdom, 'Books are different,' is still the reasoning behind many cultural policies around the world, building on longstanding assumptions surrounding 'the book'. As this suggests, the 'difference' of the book as a unique form of cultural (rather than economic) production has acquired a powerful status. But are books still different? In (somewhat provocatively) asking this question from a network-oriented and interdisciplinary perspective (book studies/literary studies), this Element inquires into the notion of 'difference' in relation to books. Challenging common notions of 'bibliodiversity,' it reconsiders the lack of diversity in the publishing industry. It also engages with the diversifying potentials of the digital literary sphere, offering a case study of Bernardine Evaristo's industry activities and activism, the Element concludes with thoughts on bookishness, affect and networked practice. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.

114 pages, Paperback

Published February 23, 2023

Reviews

[Fiona · Rating 3 out of 5]

This tiny tome discusses books as business vs. cultural artifacts, using the sharing of the 2019 Booker Prize between Margaret Atwood's Testaments and Girl, Woman, Other by Bernadine Evaristo as a reference point. It reads like an academic thesis and is appropriately impenetrable.