For Immediate Release
2009 October 14
50 Benefits of Ebooks, Now Published in Paperback, Explores the Joy of Reading Ebooks
50 Benefits of Ebooks
A Thinking Person’s Guide to The Digital Reading Revolution
Edition: September 2009
by Michael Pastore
Book’s web page: http://www.zorba.us/?page_id=142
Published by Zorba Press
ISBN: 978-0-927379-17-5
Companion blog site: www.EpublishersWeekly.net
Paperback, 372 pages, Indexed, $ 20
Ebook versions (PDF or EPUB): $ 2
Special discount for senior citizens and buyers of the first edition: $ 1
A paperback edition of a new work about ebooks, published today, is packed with information about how to understand, and enjoy, the digital reading revolution. The 372-page paperback (containing 51,000 words) is also available in ebook editions which contain all the same information as the paperback — yet sell for only two dollars.
50 Benefits of Ebooks is a lively introduction to the brave new worlds of ebooks and electronic publishing. This revised edition is 25% larger than the March edition (now 51,000 words); contains many new chapters; and features an inspiring Afterword by Michael S. Hart, the founder of Project Gutenberg. The new paperback costs $ 20; the ebook is priced at $ 2. For the ebooks, there is a 1-dollar special discount for all senior citizens, and for buyers of the March edition.
About the Book
Written for a wide audience — from ebook newcomers to ebook experts — in 28 lively chapters, the book explores five essential aspects of ebook reading, writing and publishing:
A. Benefits of Ebooks and Paper Books
B. Reading Ebooks
C. Ebooks for Authors and Publishers
D. The Value of Reading; and
E. The Education of An Ebooklover (resources)
Ebook newcomers will find all the basics here. And ebook experts can debate and debunk the author’s wild predictions for the rosy and thorny future of ebooks, by reading the essay, “Publishing Ebooks: Ten Tremendous Trends in 2009.” Authors will discover tips, tricks and resources for ebook publishing; and library professionals will enjoy the book’s glossary, index, links to leading-edge ebook sites, and sections about how and why ebooks are good for libraries.
“Ebooks are changing everything,” says author Michael Pastore. “We are now at the dawn of a seismic shift in the way that books are published, distributed, read — and even written. And the epublishing industry is changing so quickly and dramatically, we needed an updated edition only 6 months after the first release. This September edition includes more links to free ebooks, and the year’s Top 10 News Stories, such as ‘The Google Book Settlement Demystified.’”
One of the most significant benefits of ebooks is ecological: Ebooks are good for our environment. Pastore writes:
“How many trees are used to produce one week’s worth of paper in a Sunday New York Times newspaper? … One weekly issue of the New York Times consumes 75,000 trees. … One year of Sunday papers produced by the New York Times is responsible for the destruction and consumption of more than 3,900,000 trees.”
At the book’s companion website, www.EpublishersWeekly.net, the author urges: “Don’t buy the paperback. The 372-page paperback edition is $ 20, while the ebook version cost two dollars, saves trees, and contains all the same content as the paperback — except the paper!”
The ebook editions are available in two formats: PDF and EPUB. The PDF format is primarily designed for reading on desktop and laptop computers. The new EPUB format is primarily for iPhones, iPods, and a number of PDAs and ebook readers. “The EPUB format is the next big thing,” says Pastore. “It’s quickly becoming the industry standard, capable of being read on more and more software programs and hardware devices.”
Pastore is a strong proponent for the new EPUB standard for ebooks; and an equally strong opponent of DRM (Digital Rights Management), which he claims is a disservice to ebook consumers. He writes: “Ebooks were never meant to be hidden like the lost city of Atlantis, buried like the treasures of Monte Cristo, or guarded like the gold in Fort Knox.”
The author loves paper books, and hopes that they are never completely replaced by their electronic progeny. But Pastore is optimistic about the future of ebooks. He writes: “Every day, ebooks are growing in use, in sales, and in significance. After a dozen false starts over the past ten years, the Digital Reading Revolution is here at last.”
To buy the new book or ebook, readers can visit the book’s web page.
Release Schedule
September 14: ebook in PDF
September 28: ebook in EPUB
October 14: paperback (372 pages)
About the Author, Michael Pastore
Michael Pastore is the editorial director of Zorba Press. He is the author of more than 20 books: novels and non-fiction works on various themes. His articles and essays have appeared in dozens of publications nationwide. He edits the blogs EpublishersWeekly (.com and .net), and actively supports the causes of reading great books, independent publishing, and Amercia’s transition to a sustainable society. Currently he lives, cycles and writes in Ithaca, New York.
About Zorba Press
A small, independent publisher in Ithaca, New York, Zorba publishes works by Michael Pastore, Dorothee Krahn, Rae Foley, and renowned author and film-maker, Michael Tobias.
For more information, contact Zorba using our Contact Form.
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