Re: textbook prices

["Paul Camp" <pjcamp@coastal.edu>]

I was told a number of years ago that textbook prices began to rise 
very rapidly around 1980 due to changes in the tax code. According to 
the story, the Reagan administration began taxing publishers on 
inventory rather than sales so long (and economical) press runs were 
dropped in favor of short runs and just in time deliveries. Assuming 
that is true (and I'm no tax attorney -- and the story did come from 
a publisher after all), couple it with attempts to crush the used 
book market and the rise in the use of sophisticated supplements such 
as CDs and web sites, which don't come for free, and probably there 
is a good explanation for a steep price rise.

> 2.  Many of you, I'm sure, have had interesting experiences in
> discussing textbook prices with authors, publishers, and/or bookstores.
> I'd love to hear these stories.  Why are textbooks so expensive, and
> why have textbook prices risen so much faster than the cost of living?
> I'm especially interested in hearing the publishers' perspective on this, 
> perhaps from editors who subscribe to this list, as well as the perspective 
> of authors who have discussed price with their publishers.  I promise to 
> remove all names of informants from what I eventually post on the web, 
> unless you would like to have your name acknowledged.

Paul J. Camp                   "The Beauty of the Universe
Assistant Professor of Physics  consists not only of unity
Coastal Carolina University     in variety but also of 
Conway, SC   29528              variety in unity.
pjcamp@coastal.edu                    --Umberto Eco
pjcamp@postoffice.worldnet.att.net    The Name of the Rose
(803)349-2227                         
fax: (803)349-2926