I'm just wondering, is there any consensus on how many books have ever been written, across all languages, or even just in English? I don't mean how many copies, but how many different books. Thanks.
2006-09-17 05:32:51 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Books & Authors
No, there is no counting them. For one thing, have you ever seen the catalog "Books in Print"? It may be down at your local bookstore. It's several volumes these days, I think. And that's IN PRINT! Do you know how quickly most books that are published go out of print? I think it's safe to assume that the vast majority never see more than one printing. The publisher has them, the publisher sells them at wholesale, and they are out of print.
But there are lots and lots and LOTS of books out of print; no way to know how many. Even if you just take those in English, there is supposedly one of each of them in the Library of Congress. That's a very, very big collection. And again; not much except English. Know how many books are published in other languages, in other countries? Neither do I. And, due to the nature of the publishing business, I daresay neither does anyone else. Many millions, safe to say.
2006-09-17 05:49:13 · answer #1 · answered by auntb93again 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I do not know the answer but: Every legal and legitimate published book carries an ISBN - International Standards Book Number. The organization that controls and/or administers this may be able to help with an answer. You will have to do a little sleuthing on your own to find them. This is a pretty interesting question.
2006-09-17 05:56:23 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For the statistics of any question, I propose that you go to the Library of Congress' website and post your question there. If they don't know, no one probably does. However, they may be able to postulate a either/or answer rather than a definitive one that will satisfy your curiosity. Go to loc.gov
2006-09-17 09:40:33 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't know and couldn't guess, but I've read about 7,000 in a span of sixty-two years.
2006-09-17 06:17:48 · answer #4 · answered by The Gadfly 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Too many to count.
2006-09-17 05:40:00 · answer #5 · answered by Linds 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
lots
its like me asking how many stars are there?
2006-09-17 06:06:26 · answer #6 · answered by adialidal 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
http://z10.invisionfree.com/Hottest_Of_2006/index.php?
2006-09-17 05:35:04 · answer #7 · answered by Cutie992 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋