Case Study: Literature and the State

Will Australia’s once booming book industry be replaced by e-publishing? Are independent publishers and booksellers on the way out? In a world where one ‘mega-author’ can sell millions of books, can anyone else compete?Paper Empires tells the inside story of Australian publishing over the past half-century. It begins with the larrikin pioneers of the 1950s and 60s and follows the fortunes of the independents and multinationals that followed in their wake. Two fascinating local successes include the reinvention of Allen & Unwin as our largest independent, and the creation of Lonely Planet which has turned a passion for travel into world-beating success. The contributions made by branches of global companies such as Penguin and Scholastic have also been part of this post-war growth. With dozens of in-depth profiles of book trade identities and their companies, as well as many themed case studies, Paper Empires explores the myths and traces the interconnected histories of book publishing, bookselling and reading.Includes: • editing, design and production • booksellers and the retail trade • writers, bestsellers, magazines and pulp fiction • readers and reading • Indigenous writing and publishing • educational publishing and children’s literature • awards and funding • the future of publishingPaper Empires is a must-read for anyone with an interest in the business of books.