The digital revolution has left its share of burnt-out carcasses on the side of the information superhighway. Just ask anyone who runs a newspaper or works in the music business. But all of old media has not succumbed to the Internet’s wrath. The book business is still alive, and in many ways it’s thriving. Sure, many of us have switched to ebooks which cost less than hardcovers. But we’re still handing over ten bucks for what is a huge margin product. From New Republic’s Evan Hughes: Books Don’t Want to Be Free. And people still want to read them.

+ Here’s another reason that books are worth their price. Reading literary fiction can sharpen your ability to understand the emotions of others. If it’s a really good book, it can also help you ignore them.