The case for books : past present and future The era of the printed book is at a crossroad. E readers are flooding the market books are available to read on cell phones and companies such as Google Amazon and Apple are competing to command near monopolistic positions as sellers and dispensers of digital information. Is the printed book resilient enough to survive the digital revolution or will it become obsolete In this lasting collection of essays Robert Darnton an intellectual pioneer in the field of this history of the book lends unique authority to the life role and legacy of the book in society. P. 4 of cover