The Revenge of Analog

The Revenge of Analog examines the resurgence of physical, analog products and experiences in our digital age. Through research and interviews, David Sax investigates why vinyl records, paper notebooks, board games, and brick-and-mortar stores are gaining popularity despite digital alternatives. Sax travels across North America and Europe to document specific cases of analog revival, from the rise of Moleskine notebooks to the reopening of independent bookstores. He speaks with entrepreneurs, artists, and consumers who have embraced analog technologies and business models in various industries. The book presents evidence that analog and digital can coexist rather than compete, with each format serving different human needs and preferences. Through economic data and cultural analysis, Sax demonstrates how analog products provide tangible experiences that digital versions cannot replicate. The narrative challenges assumptions about technological progress and raises questions about what humans value in their interactions with objects and each other. Its broader implications extend to how society balances innovation with preservation of older, still-relevant technologies and practices.

Readers found the book provides interesting examples of analog products making comebacks, from vinyl records to board games. Many appreciated the research into why people choose physical products over digital alternatives. Liked: - Clear writing style and engaging storytelling - Mix of business analysis and cultural observations - Strong interviews with entrepreneurs and consumers - Focus on psychological aspects of analog preferences Disliked: - Repetitive arguments and examples - Limited scope focused mainly on North American trends - Some chapters feel padded with unnecessary details - Lack of deeper analysis on digital/analog hybrid approaches "The arguments start to feel thin after a few chapters" noted one Amazon reviewer. Another commented that "the book works best when exploring specific business cases rather than making broad cultural statements." Ratings: Goodreads: 3.8/5 (2,800+ ratings) Amazon: 4.3/5 (180+ ratings) LibraryThing: 3.7/5 (90+ ratings)

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📚 Despite being a book about analog's resurgence, The Revenge of Analog was written entirely on a MacBook Air, as Sax believed using a typewriter would have been "artificially nostalgic." 🏆 The book went on to become a #1 Washington Post bestseller and was selected as one of Michiko Kakutani's Top Ten Books of 2016 in The New York Times. 🎵 Vinyl record sales reached $1 billion in 2020 - surpassing CD sales for the first time since the 1980s - validating one of the book's core premises about analog's comeback. 📝 Moleskine, one of the companies featured in the book, saw its sales grow from €80 million in 2006 to over €500 million in 2015, demonstrating the robust market for analog notebooks in a digital age. 🎲 Board game sales have grown 15% annually since 2013, with the global market reaching $11 billion in 2020 - a trend Sax highlighted as part of the analog renaissance.