WHY BOOKS STILL MATTER edited by Karl Weber

Karl Weber, publisher of Rivertowns Books, is a writer, editor, and book developer with over forty years' experience in the book publishing industry. He is an expert in general-interest nonfiction publishing, specializing in topics from business and personal finance to politics, current affairs, history, autobiography, self-help, and personal development.

Weber has advised and assisted authors in a wide range of nonfiction areas, including, for example, former president Jimmy Carter, author of several New York Times bestsellers, including An Hour Before Daylight (2000), which Weber edited; Muhammad Yunus, winner of the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize, with whom Weber co-authored the New York Times bestseller Creating a World Without Poverty (2008) and its sequels, Building Social Business (2010) and A World of Three Zeros (2017); and the late Ash Carter, secretary of defense under Barack Obama, whose book Inside the Five-Sided Box (2019) Weber edited.

Before founding Rivertowns Books, Weber served as managing director of the Times Business imprint at Random House (1994-1997) and as senior editor and publisher in the trade book division of John Wiley & Sons (1986-1994). Weber is director of the Editing Workshop at the Denver Publishing Institute, a summer program for individuals interested in pursuing or advancing careers in the publishing industry.

Weber lives in Irvington, New York, with his wife, Mary-Jo Weber.

“Why Books Still Matter is a paean to bookstores and their readers, written by wise industry leaders who are brilliant business people, know that words and ideas are powerful and community dialogue can change the world, and have courageously supported freedom of expression in their own cities. It will deepen any book lover’s devotion to the power of words and books.”—Gayle Shanks, Founder & Co-Owner, Changing Hands Bookstores

"Believing that booksellers were bound to their own version of the Hippocratic oath—as fierce protectors of the First Amendment—Joyce Meskis was a superhero for the reading community. Her legacy blazes on in all of us who are determined to read widely and freely—and in the pages of this remarkable book."—Gayatri Patnaik, Director of Beacon Press

“At a time when books, authors, and publishing are under attack, it is critically important that we remember and defend their importance. This expertly curated collection reminds us that books can connect us, inspire us, and challenge us like no other medium. The rights to write, publish, and read are fundamental to the functioning of our democracy.”—Robert B. Barnett, Williams & Connolly, Washington, D.C.

"Joyce Meskis ran Tattered Cover in the time of Peak Bookstores. Why Books Still Matter enables us to understand and celebrate those times, as well as the enduring power of books, with a tribute from an all-star team of book industry participants and observers.”—Mike Shatzkin, author of The Book Business: What Everyone Needs to Know

“Why Books Still Matter is a joyous celebration of Joyce Meskis, an icon of independent bookselling, by other luminaries of the book trade. It is a wonderful tribute to one woman and a reminder that principled, stubborn, customer-focused book lovers are the bedrock of a civilized publishing business and a democratic society.”—Clive Priddle, Publisher, PublicAffairs

“Joyce Meskis helped make the Rocky Mountain West an area where authors could thrive and booklovers could find a home away from home. She lifted up an entire region, culturally. Read this book to learn how she established one of the country’s finest independent bookstores. We all benefited enormously from her extraordinary career as a preeminent bookseller and defender of First Amendment rights.”—Helen Thorpe, author of The Newcomers