Amazon, Book Sales | featured news

Amazon.com Inc. on Thursday said that, after less than four years of selling electronic books, it's now selling more of them than printed books. The online retailer said that since April 1, it has sold 105 e-books for every 100 printed books, including printed books for which there is no electronic edition. The comparison excludes free e-books, which would tip the scales further if they were included.

I stared at my computer screen. There, sitting in my inbox was an email that confirmed the world around me had gone totally and utterly, bone-fide, stark-raving, strait-jacket wearing, mad. I read the first line. It said:“Shed! Your book is number 44 on Amazon... Congratulations!”

Weeks after Amazon.com said that it is now selling more electronic books than hardcovers, a leading book publisher said one of its prominent new titles is generating greater e-book unit sales than hardcover unit sales during its first week on sale.

Kate Gosselin's latest book isn't exactly flying off the shelves. Since its April 13 release, "I Just Want You to Know: Letters to My Kids on Love, Faith, and Family" has sold just 10,084 copies, according to national book sales tracker Bookscan. The non-fiction title debuted at #11 on the New York Times' non fiction bestseller list, and at #103 on USA Today's bestsellers chart. By Thursday afternoon, its Amazon.com rank was #862.

Enjoy $9.99 electronic books while you can -- for they soon may be a thing of the past. News Corp Chief Rupert Murdoch , who oversees a media empire than includes HarperCollins books, home to authors like Michael Crichton and Janet Evanovich , made clear on Tuesday his disple...