Google Books: The End of Civilization?

Commenting on reports that Google Books is about to make for books downloadable to portable access devices as iPod did for music, UK Sunday Times commentator, Bryan Appleyard moaned

"We are, it seems, about to lose physical contact with books, the primary experience and foundation of civilisation for the last 500 years."

Good grief, what poppycock. As if the mere existence of the paperback has granted humanity special powers somehow beyond the Greeks, Romans, Capadocians and countless other civilisations the world over.

I love my Sony Reader, it is a library at my fingertips. I love my shelf full of books. Let's bask in the splendor of the age in which we live -- enjoying many libraries, virtual and otherwise -- and save the hysterics for another time.

Totally Agree with the quote!

Forget climate change and nuclear proliferation, it's time we confront the real threat: Google Book Search. That and homosexuals, they're pretty scary too.