May 2025 Links
The state of publishing, NFL rules, why boys aren't reading, a case against free trade, and more. 9 links.
The state of the publishing industry from the son of Louis L’Amour. A blitz through the history of genre fiction and a fun entry in the “do men read” discourse.
Until very recently, publishers never thought of readers as their customers, the bookstores were their customers. One of the reasons it seems they have difficulty comprehending the market is because of this.
NFL might get rid of the advantage of division winners. This reminds me of the saying that, in each meeting, there is some suggestion that, if implemented, will eventually lead to the destruction of the organization. The NFL seems to make these decisions yearly. We’ll see what happens.
It’s a new way of looking at the proposals made by specific teams. How many of them carry the fingerprints of the league office? How many were deliberately put on the radar screen as a way to spark a conversation and to enlist others to participate in the shaping of a consensus around some variation to the original proposal?
Boy aren’t just NOT reading, but they’re rarely watching TV or movies either. And the cultural impact of this will send shockwaves. We are already seeing the political divide between men and women. I recommend the full video.