What is an e-book?

I don't think Galassi should be defining e-books on the basis of an instance of redistribution.

I don't think that is what he is doing. He is saying what publishing really produces is the text--everything else is just format.

A publisher — and I write as one — does far more than print and sell a book. It selects, nurtures, positions and promotes the writer’s work.
An e-book distributor is not a publisher, but rather a purveyor of work that has already been created.

I can't tell you how much I disagree with this! My publisher is not just a distributor of my book, she has had it edited within an inch of its life, created beautful cover art, she has nutures, promoted and helped me become not just a writer but a piblished author- just because a book is available in electronic form does not make it any less published. I am not talking about vanity, self pub, I am taking about my particular position and take great offense to Galassi's comments.

I think you are mis-reading him and reading an insult that is not there. He is not even talking about epublishers at all. He is talking about commercial publishers using the ebook format, and that it is a good thing. And I agree.

"An e-book distributor is not a publisher, but rather a purveyor of work that has already been created. In this way, e-books are no different from large-print or paperback or audio versions. They are simply the latest link in an unbroken editorial chain, the newest format for one of man’s greatest inventions: the constantly evolving, imperishable book — given its definitive form by a publisher."

As I read it, he is not talking about an epublisher, but an ebook distributor, like Amazon/Kindle, ARe, Fictionwise etc. Epublishers would act ion the same way as Randon House in this scenario--but he is not discussing them at all.

Ah- well okay then- ignore above rant ( thanks for pointing that out- gotta learn to read these things better before going off half-cocked!)