International edition v.s. U.S. edition?

[pergradus]

I'm looking to buy a textbook for a course and the international edition is far cheaper than the U.S. edition, but I can't seem to find out what the difference between the two books is.

Is there some website or resource where I can go and see exactly what the difference between the two are?

Thanks.

 

[Ivan92]

My friend bought an international edition of my engineering book last semester. We checked to make sure that everything is right and it is. He mentions the pages feel different than mine. There is not much difference I would say.

 

[Evo]

The international editions are for purchase in poor countries and are very low quality. If you are in the US, purchase of these books are controversial, there have been a couple of new cases in the supreme court this year concerning them. As a lone student, your biggest fear is that it will fall apart.

https://www.physicsforums.com/showpost.php?p=2174975&postcount=13

 

[Willowz]

There is not much of a difference between the domestic and international edition. The paper is thinner, the print a little light, no hard-cover. The material is exactly the same. I don't know who enforces it; but, supposedly you shouldn't buy them. No idea why.

[sarcasm]Maybe by buying international editions you are not supporting our books, and thus that makes you a... communist![/sarcasm]

 

[pergradus]

Ok, I'm not too concerned about quality, because I take pretty good care of my books, I'm mainly concerned about certain chapters being omitted or the problems being changed/missing etc...

I'm thinking maybe I should just buy the U.S. edition, and sell it back when I'm done and still recover most of my money, instead of buying a potentially crappy international edition and probably not being able to sell it once I'm finished.

 

[Willowz]

Just get a used US edition if you are concerned about the cost.

 

[pergradus]

Just get a used US edition if you are concerned about the cost.

Right, but even still they can be expensive, but I think that's what I'll do and just re-sell it and hope to make back most of my money.

Here's a tougher question - feel free to chime in all - do you think textbooks would be cheaper now, while everyone is still in school or cheaper over Christmas break?

Seems it should be cheaper now, because everyone will be trying to get their books over winter break, but maybe that also means everyone's selling their old books, and it will actually end up being cheaper then.

Any opinions or convincing arguments about that one either way?

 

[Jack21222]

Ok, I'm not too concerned about quality, because I take pretty good care of my books, I'm mainly concerned about certain chapters being omitted or the problems being changed/missing etc...

I'm thinking maybe I should just buy the U.S. edition, and sell it back when I'm done and still recover most of my money, instead of buying a potentially crappy international edition and probably not being able to sell it once I'm finished.

My foreign edition version of Griffith's quantum mechanics book has different page numbers, but that's about it. I also think that the US edition has some sort of information on the front cover that I don't have. Otherwise, they're the same.

Just get a used US edition if you are concerned about the cost.

International editions are still cheaper. I highly recommend them.

 

[ArcanaNoir]

I've had several international edition books. I have found them to be identical in content to the US books. (okay once there was an error in one answer in the back of my calculus book). They are lighter than US editions, since they are paperback, and sometimes on lighter gauge paper. This was awesome with my calculus book, since calculus books are fat and heavy.