What's more important, money or literacy?
I just got back from a quick trip to our local new/used book seller. I had a stack of books to sell and was hoping for a at least 2000.00, I was offered 35.00-I took it. David, the owner and I were commenting on the condition of some books, how sturdy they are. Then he dropped a bomb shell on me. He told me that the new Harry Potter book is made to survive 2 readings then starts to fall apart. Apparently, Scholastic who publishes it does not want children sharing their books, they want them to have to buy them instead. He told me all the Harry Potter books were made purposely that way. I was astounded. What if a kid doesn't have enough money and wants to borrow his friends etc. I love Scholastic, but I have lost respect for them as a company. How sad is it when it becomes more important to make money then to encourage literacy. David didn't know if Rowlings herself was aware of this practice, I wouldn't be surprised if she was. I need to step down from my soapbox now to go pick up Becket from the library, how ironic is that?
posted by juliana @ 1:20 PM
6 Comments:
My husband borrowed the last HP book from a co-worker after she read it. Paul and I read it at the same time and then he passed it on to a different co-worker. The book was not falling apart while we were reading it, although we may be a bit kinder and gentler on the book then, say, a 12 year old:)
Anyway, that's so sad. What about the library copies?
What? I'm so sad. Dh and I have both read our copy, and it's waiting for our oldest.
Like Christina, though, we probably aren't too hard on our copies.
I love to re-read, and lend, and loan, and resell. All of the above.
I agree, I think books should be passed on and on and on. I've seen a fair share of copies in libraries as well as used book stores. Perhaps there are special library editions as well. Maybe Scholastic thinks kid readers read while eating chocolate, holding scissors and jumping on the trampolene. Read on gentle readers read on.
Maybe David is full of it?
Planned obsolescence is new? Nevetheless, this has all the earmarks of an "urban legend". Mind you, the bean-counters are in charge, not the authors, and Scholastic is producing the books as cheaply as possible due to their "bottom-line", not a nefarious plot to skewer American readers (although that may be an unitended result).
Vara
Mr. H, very well could be. I think I'd prefer to think of this as being closer to an urban legend than the truth.
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