Publication date
Sir: The letter from Mr Allen (8 August) on publication dates interested me. About six weeks ago I inquired from a bookshop con- cerning a book shortly to be published. A catalogue was consulted and indicated that the book was due out that day and the price 45s. I ordered a copy and paid the 45s.
A fortnight later I was advised that the book had arrived and I went to collect it. I was then told that the price marked in the
book was 55s. I asked from where we had got the idea that the price was 45s and was told that that was the price shown in the catalogue. The shop people, who are not to blame, said that thik practice is not unusual and that a recent book catalogued at five guineas came out at ten.
I paid the extra lOs but, in future, I shall not be so naive as to believe that the prices of books shortly to be published, shown in the catalogues of some publishers, will be the prices asked when the books actually appear.
Previous page
