British publishers to offer digital wares

LONDON, Feb. 17 (UPI) -- Britain's top literary publishers, Random House and Hachette, are about to enter the digital age by offering "e-books" to readers.

With the recent release of digital e-book devices, Sony's Reader and Amazon's Kindle, the two British publishing houses have decided to start offering downloadable versions of books from top authors, The Mail on Sunday reported.

The digitized literary works will be able to be downloaded directly to the pocket-sized devices and their pages can be turned by touch.

The head of Random House's new digital division said publishers' use of the new technology would not mean an end to paper-based literary products.

"The traditional book will not be dead, nor will bookshops, but this is a major change, with so many titles from now on available as e-books and with the technology so much better," Random House executive Fionnuala Duggan said.

The Mail said the two publishers, which represent more than 30 percent of the British literary trade, will start the service by offering titles from authors such as Delia Smith and Michael Parkinson.