"Devotees of the old-fashioned printed book who are distressed by the onrushing digital future — and there are more of them out there than you might think — cherish William H. Gass’s 1999 essay, “A Defense of the Book.” Personally, I own multiple copies, including its original appearance in Harper’s magazine, its reappearance in Mr. Gass’s collection, A Temple of Texts, even a slightly strange limited edition done in cardboard. Nothing has ever summed up so well the book’s virtues as an object."
More in the New York Times: http://bits.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/a-champion-of-the-book-takes-to-the-ipad/
