1) Between 1890 and 1910, publishing becomes a commercial venture, in other words publishing became a real business. The need for textbooks led to publishing houses creating divisions for publishing just that, and entire publishing companies came about dedicated to publishing solely textbooks. The literary agent came about in the 1890's to represent authors when dealing with publishers, trying to help their clients (authors) profit from the things they were planning on publishing.
American authors started becoming more and more prevalent. While their books were not the most serious of serious literature, they were successful. They had an audience ready to receive their books. In 1895, the term "bestseller" was coined, indicating that books were finally becoming a mass medium. In 1891 the Chace Act was created to protect both British authors and American publishers alike. The act granted American copyrights to foreign works but only if the books were manufactured in the US. This way, books from Europe couldn't compete directly with American authors as the case had been before. After WWI, American authors reached their golden age. Names like F. Scott Fitzgerald came about. These authors earned more for their writing than would have ever been possible before. Editing also came about during this time, along publishing houses such as Random House, created because of the country's growing need for a solid way to distribute books. Censorship laws came about in the 1920's, which were challenged by the new generation and focused later on children's reading.
During World War II, paper was rationed and American publishing was disrupted. But by the end of the war, an enormous expansion in reading and publishing happened. The publishing industry grew because of the federal government's involvement in funding education. Textbooks needed printing and children's literature became more concrete. Paperback books became extremely popular. The quality of the books being published as well as their ties to their publishing houses made the paperbacks extremely desirable. Publishers in paperback would buy the rights from hardcover publishers and reprint the books for a certain amount of time. These paperback houses sold like magazines, in drugstores and at railroad stations. Ownership was really made possible through paperbacks. Paperbacks also gave bookstores more to sell as well, instead of just selling hardcovers.
Consolidation started to occur in the book industry which scared many people. Authors and their agents thought that they may lose negotiating power and not be able to have as much say in what they write, but this did not happen really, although it seemed that many editors chose what they wanted to publish based on their own literary values and their desire to make profit.
2) I found it extremely interesting that much of what has been published today is actually based on whether or not an editor thinks it would make a lot of money. I mean I guess I sort of understood that already but it makes one wonder what would have been published if the reasons behind it were purely for art and cultural improvement.
3) It says on page 377 that some companies not a part of the book publishing industry bought publishing houses for the "wrong reasons". What kinds of reasons are these? What makes it wrong for these companies to purchase publishing houses? It said that some technology companies thought schools would be relying on technology in school therefore companies like Xerox bought publishing houses to be apart of the textbook distribution business. Were the reasons wrong because they were trying to get in on the growing need for textbooks and even though they didn't know anything about publishing, purchased the companies anyway with the hopes to make a lot of money?
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