The price should go lower without book production costs. This is simply a matter of gouging the American consumer. Believe me, the authors won't see any increase in royalties.
Don't buy the electronic versions. Wait for paperback or check out the hardbacks from your local public library.
I did work in the publishing business, compositing customized (per university dept. chair's specs) higher education textbooks and also religious media and books. We were considering the inevitable move to digital media 20 years ago.
Amazon may have been poor mouthing the publishers to recoup R&D costs up until now. And now that a competitor, who has legions of loyal followers, has raised the bar, Amazon is free to follow suit. I don't think the publishers are completely to blame here. Amazon is spinning this. They are the ones in position to dictate terms on both ends of the transaction.
Better yet, boycott Amazon's Kindle.
One more thing. Have you read all the classics available from Project Gutenberg?
The best of ZDNet, delivered
ZDNet Newsletters
Get the best of ZDNet delivered straight to your inbox
