Why the transition was not simple?

The transition was not so simple because books could be read only by the literate, and the rates of literacy in most European countries were very low till the twentieth century. publishers persuade the common people to welcome the printed book To do this, they had to keep in mind the wider reach of the printed work: even those who did not read could certainly enjoy listening to books being read out. So printers began publishing popular ballads and folk tales, and such books would be profusely illustrated with pictures. These were then sung and recited at gatherings in villages and in taverns in towns.