Version: 2008
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By Michael Leaverton
(2/9/01)

The traditional paper-and-ink book is finally under siege. After centuries of innovation, from the Gutenberg press to bound pages to easy-to-read serif typefaces, the publishing industry is ready to veer away from the messy pulp and dried liquid of printed books and embrace the ephemeral ones and zeros of e-books. But are readers ready to trade the satisfaction of flipping pages for the glare of an LCD screen?


Big names, big publishers--e-books are coming to a digital
bookshelf near you

With big-name writers filling e-book lists, major publishers are throwing their weight behind e-books. 

Publisher and e-book branch E-book launch Select authors
  Random House; AtRandom.com     Winter 2001     Elizabeth Wurtzel, Henry Alford, Donald Katz, Lewis Lapham, Gary Rivlin, Robert J. Samuelson, Robin Shamburg, Cameron Dougan, Gersh Kuntzman  
  Time Warner; AtRandom.com     Fall 2000     David Foster Wallace, Richard Lederer, Sandra Brown, Jane Goodall, David Baldacci, Breena Clark, Larry Colton, Walter Mosley  
  AtRandom.com; No separate Web branch     Spring 2000     V.C. Andrews, Jimmy Carter, Hunter S. Thompson, Bob Woodward, Stephen King, Ann Beattie, Robert Jordan  
  Barnes & Noble.com, AtRandom.com     Spring 2001     Dean Koontz  


Michael Leaverton is the assistant editor for CNET Tech Trends. His bookshelf remains decidedly analog. Questions? Comments? Send us feedback.