The feel of a book has influenced former purchases of mine. I have to agree that even though e-books are great (saving trees), you can't beat the feeling of holding a physical book. I've explored paper choices for a few of my projects and I'm excited to choose the paper for my final book. Does anyone have a good place they find their paper? I've been to The Paper Source in Annapolis, which is a great option, especially for those of you like me who love stationary.
I found a recent article online that says physical books sales are back on the rise this year (2.4%). The article breaks down the reasoning this might be happening into three categories: comprehension, non-intuitive tools, and human factors. In the last category, the author Frank Catalano states, "For some types of reading, the physical act of opening a thick cover and listening to the whispered crackle of spine and pages is part of the enjoyment." You just can't get that with a Kindle.
Another website I came across mentioned the obvious factor of cost. How often do publishers allow a book designer to choose the more expensive paper? Does the book or author have to be well known before printing in order to cover those costs? Even though I don't want to become a book designer per say, it would be interesting to understand the decision making process more.
