Description
Book SynopsisIn the twentieth century, cumulative millions of readers received books by mail from clubs like the Book-of-the-Month Club, the Book Society or Bertelsmann Club. This Element offers an introduction to book clubs as a distribution channel and cultural phenomenon, and shows that book clubs and book commerce are linked inextricably. It argues that a global perspective is necessary to understand the cultural and economic impact of book clubs in the twentieth and into the twenty-first century. It also explores central reasons for book club membership, condensing them into four succinct categories: convenience, community, concession and, most importantly, curation. This title is also available as Open Access on Cambridge Core.
Table of Contents1. Introduction; 2. Book clubs: definition and basic structure; 3. Books for the masses: book clubs in the twentieth century; 4. Chances and challenges for book clubs today; 5. Conclusions and outlook.
