- #1
qspeechc
- 844
- 15
I'm sure many people are wondering this just as I am: How is it that Dover manages to publish their books so cheaply? Ok, they're paperbacks but they're good quality. My Dover books have outlasted some of my hardcovers that cost a lot more, and are still in good shape.
I mean most Dover books are under $20, and some under $10; for other publishers it's rare to see textbooks for under $60, many are in the $80-and-upwards range. Ok, there is the paperback/hardback thing, but I don't think that would account for more than 5, maybe 10 bucks. Also, many but not all of the books Dover publish are by dead authors, so that probably accounts for another $10 also. That's only $20 difference and I'm probably being generous. But this argument doesn't seem reasonable to me because for other publishers there is no distinction in price between books authored by a living or dead person.
So what really accounts for the price difference? Does it go to the publishers?
I mean most Dover books are under $20, and some under $10; for other publishers it's rare to see textbooks for under $60, many are in the $80-and-upwards range. Ok, there is the paperback/hardback thing, but I don't think that would account for more than 5, maybe 10 bucks. Also, many but not all of the books Dover publish are by dead authors, so that probably accounts for another $10 also. That's only $20 difference and I'm probably being generous. But this argument doesn't seem reasonable to me because for other publishers there is no distinction in price between books authored by a living or dead person.
So what really accounts for the price difference? Does it go to the publishers?