[The Truth Will Make You Free]

How about your average $100 college textbook?

[elenchus]

Did you ever notice that virtually all publishers are liberal Democrats and further to the left? I thought Republicans were greedy, and liberals were in every way virtuous and generous, caring nothing for money.

[dogbyte12]

It's the market place. I have heard there is some funny collusion going on in the music industry, don't know about the print trade. As we all know, it costs under $1 to produce a CD, yet a CD often costs $7 more than a tape all across the board. There should be one company to break free from this and say, charge "only" $2 more for a CD, but it really isn't happening.

[eno_]

Free cheap enough?

[Senator Pardek]

It is the free market. The demand for books is rather inelastic. Folks who love to read will pay through the nose to own a book - it's not like videotapes or music CDs at all.

[warchild9]

Friends of mine in the book publishing business explain that a hundred layers of corporate parasites stand between the author and the reader, each with his/her hand out. Authors receive only 5%-15% of the cover cost of the book, the retailer receives 40%, and all the rest goes to Time/Warner/ConHugeCo. The computer revolution will dismantle this arrangement, and shorten the distance between author and his audience. Reading from the Internet has reduced my bookstore buying to one-tenth of what it once was, and it's their own d****d fault...the Kid

[CatoRenasci]

Far worse than the increased prices are the decreased availability of scholarly books. Many classic historical and philosophical works, which were widely available in paperpack at reasonable prices in the 50's through the early '80s, are now out of print and hard to find.

I was recently looking for some things in the Columbia University bookstore and some bookstores right around Columbia and could not find such classics as Edmund Wilson's Axel's Castle or Ernst Cassierer's The Philosophy of the Enlightenment. I could find no criticism of T.S. Eliot -- I mean I know he's not at the height of his fashion, but nothing....?

[JZoback]

Because you are willing to pay that much

[MistyCA]

I have been buying a lot of books recently and they have ranged from 39 for a cheapy to 89 for one that I really wanted. What do you think when people like Hitlery hold up the store for 8million bucks, followed by Slick for more than that! Someone has to pick up the tab on that! You know it isn't going to be someone buying either of their books.

[Fraulein]

You're right. Books have gotten very expensive. You might want to shop Ebay or check with your local used bookstores. Or perhaps you might want to get books from the library.

[RaceBannon]

Because of the numbers bought. High prices make up for the lower sales.

[Nitro]

How about $3 or $4 for a cup of soda at a movie or a ballgame? It can't take more than a few cents worth of syrup and and a splash of seltzer water. That is a hell of a mark-up!

[Vigilanteman]

Just a couple of observations:

1. There is a much greater variety of books now than in the 1970's with generally smaller print runs. Quantity is a huge factor in comparing prices.

2. If you compare the run of a typical paperback best-seller in the 1970's to a trashy romance novel today (around $3 or $4), the inflation rate is cut in half.

3. People are willing to pay it, so they can get away with charging it. Much like the reason that rent on a trashy apartment in Malibu, California will pay for a gorgeous house in Des Monies, Iowa . . .

[janus]

Books don't grow on trees you know.:^))

[goodnesswins]

I buy most of my books USED. REALLY saves MONEY! Course college books would be another thing...that does seem to be quite the racket. But, I thought there was going to be an online bookstore for college books that was going to help reduce the prices....guess it's not working?

[Darth Sidious]

What's a book?

[Sgt_Schultze]

Some idiot publishers pay non-authors up to $20 million dollars per couple to write books about topics which for years they have testified they have no knowledge.

[aimhigh]

Here's your answer. Prior to Jimmy Carter, publishers could print several million copies of a book and depreciate unsold, warehoused copies, which would eventually sell. In Jimmy's administration, that deduction was taken away, and book prices skyrocketed as a result. Liberals can say they are pro-education, but the results speak for themselves.

[Neets]

I purchase books for the Academic Department I work for. I have found great bargains on used books through Amazon and Barnes and Noble. They also have a listing of places that sell used books that you can contact directly.

[ScottinSacto]

$8 million advances to former first ladies, and the bunk produced will be at the outlet malls for $2.95 before anyone blinks. The other "mainstream" books have to make up for the losses on these "ventures" in literature. But I must admit I am always the first in line at Costco to get the newest Clancy novel. Other than that I get a ton of stuff cheaply on EBAY.