Last year, French publishers were successful in fixing the prices for ebooks as well; they (as publishers), not the sellers, determine the price of the ebooks, keeping printed book sales from dropping as dramatically as they have in the United States.

Along with these two laws set in place, French bookstore owners also have the advantage of being able to apply to government-financed institutions for grants and interest-free loans. A concept that is not only unlikely in the United States but which would outrage millions of people.

Do the French have more reverence for the printed word than Americans?