Ethics in Ink: A Conversation with Michael Castleman: Author of "The Untold Story of Books"

Abstract

In The Untold Story of Books, Michael Castleman, a long-time writer with over 50 years of experience in the industry, breaks down the history of publishing and bookselling into three distinctly different book businesses. Today, when book production relies heavily on digital technology, what Castleman calls the third book business, it is important to understand the history of all three business models, and how their ethics and conventions have changed over the years.

We spoke over Zoom to discuss how this book came to be, and what ethical and cultural contexts this book serves today. What follows is an edited excerpt from our conversation, which was condensed for clarity and length.