Print Is Not Dead & I am Glad

The figures published in The Bookseller’s Review of the Year 2025 show that print remains the dominant revenue driver in trade publishing, with hardbacks and beautifully produced editions performing strongly.

That matters.

For years there has been an assumption that physical books would gradually decline as digital formats expanded. Audiobooks continue to grow. E-readers remain convenient. Screens dominate daily life. Yet print continues to account for the majority of trade publishing revenue.

This is not about nostalgia. It reflects how readers actually behave.

A physical book offers something that digital formats cannot replicate. It has presence. It occupies space. It can be displayed, lent, annotated and revisited years later. It becomes part of a home rather than existing only on a device.

The resilience of hardbacks and gift editions is particularly telling. Books remain one of the most purchased and trusted presents. A wrapped book signals intention and care. A well-produced edition carries weight and permanence. These qualities continue to influence buying decisions.

There is also the issue of choice. Readers are presented with thousands of new titles every year. Algorithms promote what is trending. Online platforms encourage constant scrolling. In that environment, physical books — particularly thoughtfully chosen ones — provide clarity. One book at a time. One focused experience.

Independent bookshops and reader communities reinforce this pattern. Events, discussions and author evenings continue to attract audiences. Physical books anchor those conversations. They are brought to meetings, signed, passed around and kept.

Digital formats are not disappearing. They serve a different purpose. They offer portability and speed. Print offers depth and presence. The continued dominance of print revenue suggests that readers are selecting formats intentionally rather than abandoning one for the other.

The narrative that print is dying does not align with the evidence. Instead, physical books appear to be becoming more deliberate purchases. When something is chosen consciously rather than passively consumed, it often holds greater value.

Print is not simply surviving. It continues to play a central role in how readers buy, gift and experience books.