Snuff Books

By Richard Jay Parker

I read an article this morning about the glut of Whitney Houston biogs suddenly available online since her sad death.  They're being referred to as 'snuff books.'  Seems an unfortunate term as, in terms of its definition, the word 'snuff' became synonymous with something distinctly more unsavoury than inhaling tobacco.  Snuff movies have been the subject of much speculation - as well as the storyline for movies with actual actors in.

Snuff books is a term used to categorise a new phenomena that illustrates exactly how instantaneous online publishing can be.

Of course, a lot of them are thrown together or have the death details quickly tacked on the end but then so do a lot of the books that are published six months after the event.  Fact is a lot will be downloaded, particularly if they're cheap.  It's another example of how the digital format can respond to an event. 

OK this isn't the best example but it does signal a world for readers where the newspaper and the book combine and their copy is available as quickly as a 21st century reader demands.

Is it ASIN? 

Visit Richard at: http://www.richardjayparker.com/