Advertising in books: A bad idea

Call me a purist, but I'm very skeptical of advertising or paid placements in books.

I know it's increasingly commonplace these days, but I believe common sense argues against it.

Especially for niche books, it makes little sense. If you ask me, books are the last refuge for the truth. It's where authors are free to tell the truth, unworried by interference from advertising departments. Unfortunately, the truth is increasingly uncommon in most media these days, like TV, radio, newspapers and magazines. And that is why consumers don't trust "the media" anymore.

Here's my idea: disclaimers in books, saying something to the effect of:

“The author has no personal connection or financial interest in the products or persons mentioned in this book. There is no advertising or product placement in this book.”

Important for nonfiction, especially.

Otherwise, books are destined to be ignored like every other rag nowadays.