To think there’s no hope anymore financially after seeing the price of this…?!

[Suteleynot]

I’ve just been browsing the new books due to be released next year. Hardbacks are now 22 pounds????!!!

I know hardbacks have always been pricey especially when new but I am almost certain they were around 14-15 pounds only recently.

I have quite a bit of disposable income and I love reading but I cannot for a moment get my head around how expensive this is? It won’t be long before a new hardback will cost the best part of 30 quid!

I am paid close to six figures and hand on heart if I lost my job, I know I’d be worse off for sure, but not so worse off that I’d be devastated. In a way it’s quite liberating… I care less about keeping my job than I once did! What’s the point!!!!

I have only just seen this on Amazon so this is my very reactionary post to it 😅

Floral arrangement £35 in Morrisons today, caused a sharp intake of breath.

Anyway don't shop in Amazon, find your local bookshop and at least it'll be an experience.

If you can't afford books on nearly six figures, surely you'd be much worse off without a job? I do agree books are jolly expensive though, I get 90% of mine from the library and most of the rest second hand.

It’s the chocolate aisle for me , it’s nearly as expensive as the alcohol aisle !!!!

I have a kindle and pick up books for 99p. New books have always been expensive though, which is why people use libraries.

It depends on the books! Some hardbacks are still that price, but £22 seems quite standard for a signed edition / special edition too. I tend to end up paying £20-30 for my hardbacks, but I prefer special editions. I picked up a few in Waterstones the other day for Christmas presents, all about £15-17 from memory.

I just bought a signed pre order hardback for £22, which was what I expected!

Also if it’s an indie published book (which it can be on Amazon!) it’s obvs more expensive

Ì just buy book bundles on vinted for 1 or 2 pounds.

@Summerhillsquare that’s loads!!!

You don’t need to buy them.

@Icouldwriteabookonmydisastrouslife yes I would be much worse off but it wouldn’t make much difference as I genuinely can’t buy the book I was looking at, not for 22 quid. So would make no odds on the book front if I was employed or not!

@Silverbirchleaf true. I don’t go to a library but it clearly would be the better option!

@Icouldwriteabookonmydisastrouslife yes you can’t get a bar of chocolate for under a pound now! 3.50 for Morrisons own biscuits 😬

YANBU of course, and everything has doubled in price in the past 3 years, but you will get the '£200 is a perfectly decent price for a Beef Wellington' brigade coming along soon, saying 'that sounds like a good bargain to me for a hardback book...' 🙄

Gosh, how extremely helpful. 🙄

@cramptramp thank you for confirming.

Wait until you see the price of Folio Society books. I love those for a birthday gift but they are £££

How much do you think a hardback book SHOULD cost? How much do you think you deserve to be paid?

I am paid close to six figures and hand on heart if I lost my job, I know I’d be worse off for sure, but not so worse off that I’d be devastated. In a way it’s quite liberating… I care less about keeping my job than I once did! What’s the point!!!!

Riiiight. Well sack off your job and let us know how the life of leisure goes then. I suspect you'll quickly realise that it is in fact possible to be a lot worse off than 'thinking £22 for a hardback is a bit toppy'.

I mean, you have got a point re inflation but it gets lost a bit when you say daft stuff like this.

This is the 'full' price but will be selling for half price once released. I prefer reading paperbacks personally though.

😆

@Pavementworrier I suppose it’s difficult to give an educated opinion on how much a hardback should be as I don’t work in that industry.

I do think on almost 100k it shouldn’t be a big decision to buy a hardback book, though.

t depends to an extent on the book and where you're looking e.g Maggie O'Farrell's next book will be sold at £25 but Amazon the price is half that. I'm sure £25 has been the full price for most hardbacks for ages.

@Biskieboo it might be daft to you but given I don’t have much spending money in reality, sometimes I do question whether the stress and the hours is worth it

Borrow it from the library - if they don't have a newly released book, libraries will often buy it on request. If it's something you want to reread, you can buy the cheaper paperback later on.

Got a hardback for my friend as a Christmas gift - £30.
Don't earn anywhere near six figures and yes, that was a bit of a difficult decision.
I love a house full of books but had to switch to kindle for reasons of cost.