The First Paperback

First of all, the novel was published in paperback only because it was so widely popular. At the time, between World War I and World War II, many people had a fascination with utopias, or ideal worlds. This is evident with Germany's Nazism, Italy's Fascism, and the Soviet Union's Communism. These were all notions of "the ideal world".

Nevertheless, if I were accustomed to hardcover and paperback was first introduced, the paperback format would have been new and exciting. I would think to myself, what makes this book so different that it's published in paperback? I absolutely disagree with the notion that paperbacks devalue literature. They are simply a cheaper alternative to hardcover, and ease the distribution of a popular book such as Hilton's Lost Horizon.

I don't feel like the format of a work alters the value of it. Regardless of which format it's in, a reader sees the same exact words. A book should always be available in many different formats; that is, hardcover, paperback, electronic, etc. Today, Amazon's Kindle device is an electronic device that is widely popular. It is MORE accessible. If anything, this should be a good thing. If a book is MORE accessible, then it distributes to more people. The fact that Lost Horizon was the first paperback novel illustrates it's wide demand, which is a positive thing.

Electronic books do not devalue literature. They are simply preferred by some people because of its simplicity and accessibility. Some don't prefer electronic books because it is electronic and prefer a concrete, tangible object.

Essentially, novels should not ONLY be published in a specific format. I don't believe publishers will ever do that because it is bad business. In terms of paperback vs. hardcover, I disagree that one devalues the other. In terms of concrete vs. electronic, there needs to be a variety of formats so that the reader can comfortably choose. Literature does not get devalued this way. If anything, they receive MORE value. Think of it; easier accessibility, cheaper, and more readers. It's beneficial to all parties.