Because of the overwhelming number of books targeted at women, it’s tempting to think a female aesthetic takes hold once a book enters the machinery of publishing. After all, women occupy marketing and editorial positions in overwhelming numbers.

Young has good access to editorial movers and shakers on two continents, but he’s more interested in the process and people that determine what ends up on the page than the bombshells about bloodthirsty and opportunistic journalists you’re hoping for.

The question that remains now is whether dedicated ebook readers will survive in the era of multi-tasking tablets that do much more. The choices listed here barely scratch the surface of this explosive product category.