‘WE'RE LOSING ACCESSIBILITY': AMERICA SAYS GOODBYE TO THE MASS-MARKET PAPERBACK

Summary from the TLDR Marketing newsletter

Mass-market paperbacks are disappearing across the US. They were once cheap and portable, making reading accessible to working-class Americans. Popularized from the 1930s, they were sold in supermarkets and non-bookstore outlets. The format offered affordability and portability that helped democratize literature. Sales have declined steadily over the decades. E-readers and smartphones have replaced their convenience. Readers now value books as aesthetic objects. This shift limits low-cost access for young and lower-income readers.