I forgot to post about the Terry Pratchet novels having the UK covers in Europe, not the US covers. I knocked off Pyramids on the plane flights to/from Switzerland. I used to try doing work on plane flights, but have since given up and started reading lighter material.
Terry Pratchett novels also cost 13 euros (20 dollars!) over here, as opposed to the 8 dollars in the US. I have two data points on the cost: an English book store at Schiphol (Amsterdam airport) and the American Book Center in Den Haag (The Hague).
The American Book Center is a little slice of heaven on Earth. There is a big SciFi section with Terry Pratchett novels. There is a games section with Munchkin and expansion packs. And they have Jane Austen action figures, complete with quill pen and writing desk.
Anyways, props to iJenn for introducing me to the Discworld novels with Small Gods, even if Pyramids would have been chronologically correct. Without your guidance my plane flights and train rides would be boring, and I might accidentally catch up on sleep.
5 comments:
Related data point: "Making Money", when half off at Waterstone's in London, turns out to be about the same price as it would be at home.
I wonder if shipping is expensive enough that that's why the difference hasn't been arbitraged away, or if there are rules about what editions one is allowed to sell where.
I have very limited evidence that shipping in bulk would be relatively inexpensive. I bought a textbook from Amazon.com that needed to be shipped from the US, and shipping was <$10. The break-even price would be in the single digits if I could get the books shipped in bulk.
Plus, on the back of the UK edition of the books, the price is listed as 8 UK pounds or $12 Canadian dollars. 8 British pounds ~= 10 Euros or 8 pounds ~= $14.50 (US or Canadian).
I have no idea why the books are so much more expensive over here. Rules about editions, as you suggest, along with supply and demand? It could be a national pride issue...based on the fact that they're sold for more Euros than the British listed price, it could be a national tariff issue? English books require a 25% mark-up in the NL? I have no idea.
(and the UK books have this weird notion of how to spell color)
*g* "The Colour of Magic"? Oh those wacky brits.
UK editions list canadian price too? Weird, because I thought the american editions of Pratchett books also had canadian prices. Maybe canada gets a choice. (Clearly this calls for a field trip to find out. Hmm, who can I interest in driving to Canada for a weekend...)
what, catch up on sleep? what a silly idea! grad school is getting to you already.
and if it makes you feel any better, I read them completely out of order as well; but then that whole chronological thing never really made sense to me anyway, it's not as if life is like that... oh, wait.
quals is a no-go. the first time anyway. this is supposed to be where the persistence kicks in, right? ... right? heh
and alison, if you want to go to montreal... it's four hours from here...field trip?
I think I've already caught up on sleep...clearly I'm not taking enough classes.
This is definitely where the persistence kicks in. Though if you end up going to Canada, please pick up Reaper Man or Thief of Time for me (if available). I'll pay you back in Canadian dollars - it'll be a great investment.
Post a Comment