How expensive should liberal books be?

[Deja Q]

Franken and Moore.

Two examples of real progressives speaking out.

Their books, hardcover nonfiction, cost $24.95.

In the right store with the right discount card, you can get it as low as $15.75.

But why jump through the hoops and stroke their willies to get a price that it ought to be in the first place?

Would the repukes like it if progressives lowered their prices to something that ALL the masses could more readily afford?

Especially with the messages and awareness they bring?

Besides, many of these writers (Dem, Repuke, or otherwise) are already affluent and known: Moore, O'Reilly, Franken, Coulter, Hannity, Colmes, Bush, Clinton. I find it to be utterly stupid to go bankrupt just so I can keep them rolling in dough.

Also, how much $$ does the publisher get? Are they as deplorable as the music industry, where the record label gets most of the bread, leaving the actual workers with breadcrumbs?

It's also funny how we're a free country yet everything is for sale, but that's another post...

[Brucey]

1. Do what I do:

Steal them. When done reading, sell them on eBay (but list them as O'Reilly books).

[NicoleM]

2. That's the great thing

about public libraries. You can read books for free there.

[Deja Q]

4. I considered that... unfortunately, it's flawed. Fortunately, so am I!

Good idea there, but there's a flaw:

How many copies will our libraries, which are underfunded as it is (I know this firsthand because I do some tech work for my affluent county's library system), are going to buy? How long would you wait for a new release, especially when it's been #1 for a few weeks and the backlog at the library goes back for far more?

Keeping libraries and low-priced rentals for the common folk while the affluent can buy what they like is pretty sad and will only encourage "piracy" anyway and all the other negative vibes. I have recently learned how materialism is pretty nasty and how our own society breeds us into a system of having things to compensate for REAL needs such as companionship and society. Especially things plastic (not just credit cards, I mean PLASTIC - the substance made from OIL which will be depleted in 30-60 years, so much for the longevity of America, thank God in a way...) Of course, I just supported the concept of a library... I've probably talked myself into a paradox by now, too... :D

If everybody stuck to "the way of the library", nobody would want to write a book because there's no profit in it. No more than 3*Z would ever be bought (3 copies per Z where Z = the amount of libraries in America). Remember, we in America must live the way of the way of the American: Don't do anything unless there's profit in it. :puke:

Obviously there's a point or two here here, but damned if I can see it right now... But it's Friday, I've been smelling paint fumes, and I'm lonely.

[nadinbrzezinski]

3. the pricng structure is not

up to the writers, but the publishers....

I know I work in the industry.

[Deja Q]

5. Is the publishing industry as nasty as the music industry

in that regard? The publisher reaps the gross majority of the profits while the writer gets rich ONLY if bargeloads of books get sold (which in turn makes the publisher so filthy rich I don't even want to think about it)?

[Brucey]

6. I wrote a book that sells for $16.95 and I get

90 cents. If the book sells for a discount, I get proportionally less. The distributor (e.g., Amazon) gets the most, the publisher next, and the author gets the least.

[Blue-Jay]

7. I suppose that they should be the same as any other book.

Why should political affiliation have an effect on the price? If you want to read a book, but can't afford to buy it, you either go to the library, borrow it from a friend, or wait until the paperback is released.

I buy most of my books from a locally-owned bookstore. If they don't have it, they'll order it. Sure, I pay a little more, but I REALLY like this store and the owner. Plus, it's across the street from a tavern that I like to frequent.

I also ored books from Amazon when I'm feeling too lazy to drive 30 minutes to the store. (sorry, Sharon!)