Read on

It is a publisher's nightmare: all those posters, book signings and promotional campaigns are useless. It turns out that "word of mouth" is far more important than advertising for most people in the book they choose to read. But are we really surprised? When you read a book recommended by a friend, you are not just reading for pleasure - you are finding a bit more about the taste of that person. Plus you can chat about it with them afterwards. Try doing that with a poster. This research is surely the final nail in the coffin of the claim that reading is an antisocial activity. Pass it on.

It is a publisher's nightmare: all those posters, book signings and promotional campaigns are useless. It turns out that "word of mouth" is far more important than advertising for most people in the book they choose to read. But are we really surprised? When you read a book recommended by a friend, you are not just reading for pleasure - you are finding a bit more about the taste of that person. Plus you can chat about it with them afterwards. Try doing that with a poster. This research is surely the final nail in the coffin of the claim that reading is an antisocial activity. Pass it on.