While folks all over the blogosphere are debating the merits of Amazon’s Kindle, Japan has evidentially moved on. This just seems unbelievable to me, but…

“This week the 2007 bestseller list, published by Japan’s biggest book distributor, Tohan, revealed that five of the year’s most successful novels, including the top three, were first written for downloading on mobile phones before being republished in book form.”

That just doesn’t seem possible. I mean sure I can see some books getting their start on mobile media, but bestsellers? Has anyone ever tried to read a novel on a cellphone screen? I can’t imagine it.

This news tidbit came from the London Times Online and it’s a great little article looking into this trend. I can’t imagine this spreading beyond Japan, but I guess when you grow up text messaging your friends (like the new generation seems to be able to do in their sleep, or while walking down the mall, or sidewalk, or driving Birmingham’s highways) then reading Dickens on the phone is no big deal.

Maybe I’m just getting old.