Word of mouth is the critical element. How to drive it has changed. The Times doesn’t. Standing bookstores haven’t for years. Readings, except for stars or locals, do not excite. It’s social media, online reviews, Skype to book clubs. BEAUTY gets a vanity reading here in Santa Fe and maybe a few other places if friends can bring a crowd – New York? Bay Area? LA? It’s a different book world now. And yet. Truly. Bafflingly? People keep reading.