ABSTRACT
This essay explores why books are so popular in today’s society, discussing the idea of ‘reading culture’ and the various factors that support and encourage that culture, such as the general ubiquity of books, the impact of book clubs, literary prizes, reviews, festivals, and bestseller lists. The role of libraries and the link between reading and literacy is also considered. Having established the strength of the UK’s reading culture and the various factors that support it, the chapter then moves on to consider readers as consumers, using some relevant theories from the field of consumer behaviour, to attempt to understand from a different perspective what books really mean to people. The results of a small research project about consumers’ emotional attachment to books are presented, showing that consumers are complex individuals with a range of varied needs. Consumers may be placed within a continuum of readers that ranges from those who are simply seeking information through to genuine book lovers with high involvement in the products.
