Physical Books Making a Comeback

For more than 25 years, attorney Cynthia Ann Miller has led her own real estate law practice with locations in Naperville, Downers Grove, and Hinsdale, IL. Outside of her work, Cynthia Miller pursues hobbies that include hiking, traveling, cooking, and reading.

Ever since Amazon debuted its Kindle reader in 2007, publishing observers have been predicting the end of the traditional publishing model and the obsolescence of print books. For a while, it seemed the doomsayers might be correct, with e-books taking a significant market share within a few years of the e-reader’s introduction. 

In recent years, however, statistics indicate that print books are making a comeback. In 2016, e-book sales dropped by 17 percent, while print book sales increased by approximately 5 percent.

Industry analysts list several reasons for this trend reversal, including an increasing number of people spending more time on their smartphones than reading any kind of book. Others point out that traditional print books have retained their popularity because physical books make good gifts, function as décor in a home, and feel good to hold in the hand. 

Additionally, surveys have indicated that millennials consistently prefer physical books to digital books. As this demographic becomes the dominant consumer group, analysts suggest that print books will continue to regain their popularity.