The popularity of long-form journalism and essays is continuing to grow. Companies like The Atavist, Vook, Now & Then Reader, and the Kindle Singles division of Amazon are bringing high-quality longer essay pieces to avid readers, thanks to digital publishing and online retailing of e-shorts. Now, one of the nation’s oldest and best known monthly magazines has emerged with an ebook platform that will focus on the long-form journalism that has become so popular among e-reading fans.
The Atlantic is launching The Atlantic Books and has come out the virtual gate with its first title, Denial: My Twenty-Five Years Without a Soul by Jonathan Rauch. This first title is priced at $1.99 and is currently only available through the Kindle Singles platform, but the company’s titles will soon be available through other ebook distributors.
“The launch of The Atlantic Books reflects our commitment to innovation in publishing in the service of great journalism and storytelling,” said M. Scott Havens, president of The Atlantic in a news article about the launch on the company’s website. “I can’t think of a better inaugural book for our new imprint than Denial, a work that, I’m hopeful, will have an impact far beyond this digital medium.”
Rauch, an award-winning contributing editor for The Atlantic, has written a memoir of unexpected but hilarious twists throughout his early adult life, all leading to the discovery of his own sexual identity.
“Over the two decades that Jonathan has been writing for The Atlantic, he’s produced revelatory articles on everything from politics to foreign policy to, in our current issue, end-of-life care. But this book is his most powerful work,” added James Bennet, editor in chief of The Atlantic. “We are honored to make it the debut title of The Atlantic Books.”
Like other organizations’ attempts at producing quality non-fiction e-shorts, The Atlantic Books will feature works between 10,000 and 30,000 words, as well as compilations of its archived material collected over its 155-year history. The Atlantic‘s article about the launch also made mention of several other paid initiatives that the magazine will unveil at different points throughout this year.
Mercy Pilkington is a Senior Editor for Good e-Reader. She is also the CEO and founder of a hybrid publishing and consulting company.