A century ago readers faced limited access to books due to high prices and scarce libraries. In 1926 a mail-order Book of the Month Club selected and mass-produced top titles to lower costs and expand readership. Over decades the catalog guided thousands, but by the early 2010s competition from Amazon, big chains, and indies eroded its relevance and finances. Blake Orlandi and John Lippman purchased and relaunched the company in 2016 as a millennial-focused subscription service. The relaunched club curates five new hardcovers monthly, leverages publishing rights with a branded logo, and targets women as primary customers.
A hundred years ago, it wasn't easy being a reader. Books were expensive and libraries weren't common, so it was hard to get your hands on your next read. In 1926, a magazine editor, professor, and book publisher tried to solve the problem with a mail order company called the Book of the Month Club. The men would read upcoming books, select what they considered the best, then mass-produce them, thereby driving the price down.
For decades, thousands of readers across America relied on the catalog to discover new literature. But by the early 2010s, when Blake Orlandi-a recent Harvard Business School graduate-stumbled across the company, it had lost its luster. Consumers had no shortage of places to buy affordable books, from Amazon to Barnes & Noble to their local indie bookstore. Book of the Month had sunk to offering books at bargain-basement prices, but even then, it was quickly shrinking.
"Amazon did everything that Book of the Month was purporting to do, but better because of technology," says Orlandi. "The company was basically hollowed out." Still, Orlandi couldn't get Book of the Month out of his mind. The legacy company seemed to have so much potential, if only it could be reimagined for the current reading landscape. "Consumers today have a paradox of choice," he says. "Book of the Month's original mission of curating books suddenly seemed compelling again."
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