How To Get The Book
Published on August 6, 2022 by Tiffany Jones
TL&DR
- no 'right answers' for ethical decisions. Our values, plus the right information, plus context will yield different decisions. Here's some useful information:
- authors make veeery little money on book sales. 10k a year (2018, UK)
- 10% of a book for authors is a large share; publishers, distributors, and libraries take the rest.
- buying new books, as opposed to second-hand ones, helps living authors, but not dead ones 😉
- buying second-hand books is better for the environment, yet doesn't benefit living authors.
- libraries buy the books they lend at inflated prices (especially e-books), and also pay authors (a tiny) royalty each time it's borrowed! (But not sure how this works around the world)
- nevertheless, in the words of Neil Gaiman: "Don't ever apologise to an author for buying something in paperback, or taking it out from a library (that's what they're there for. Use your library). Don't apologise to this author for buying books second hand, or getting them from bookcrossing or borrowing a friend's copy. What's important to me is that people read the books and enjoy them, and that, at some point in there, the book was bought by someone. And that people who like things, tell other people. The most important thing is that people read..."
- avoid Amazon companies. Their business practices are truly dodgy, they treat their employees badly, they are building a monopoly which drives others out, and they pay little to no tax.
- AbeBooks, Audible, and The Book Depository are also Amazon brands. To be avoided.
Some of this information is new for us, too. So, to get our next books, we will probably:
- Post on social media and ask friends if they already have it. Then borrow it from them. Exchange creates community.
- Search for it in libraries, on freecycle groups and apps in our area.
- Search for it in independent book stores in our area. Helps community businesses, often threatened by Amazon & co. (Have conversations with them to see what their practices are with employees, the environment, etc.)
- Search for it on https://www.ethicalbooksearch.com/ (Click here to choose your country for suggestions on where to buy the Difficult Conversations book — both new or second hand, hard copy or e-book.)
Please share with us ways you got your book that others might like to know (and try)!
Sources
- Buying Choices (article), by The Society of Authors
- The Ethics of Buying Second-Hand Books (video), Spinster's Library
- Ethical Bookshops (article), by Ethical Consumer
- How to Be an Ethical Reader // The Economics of Books and Libraries (article), by OurNextLife
compiled by Mihai
Tiffany Jones
Posted on September 13, 2022
Aleta! Excellent points. Thank you for addressing this.
From what we know, there is little difference between the 3rd and 2nd editions, and we would encourage anyone who has the option, to take the 3rd and latest edition if possible.
Thank you for the link!
We're actually very pleased with your post because considering which edition to read had not crossed our minds when preparing. We've added it to things to consider when we start our next bookclub. Thank you.
From what we know, there is little difference between the 3rd and 2nd editions, and we would encourage anyone who has the option, to take the 3rd and latest edition if possible.
Thank you for the link!
We're actually very pleased with your post because considering which edition to read had not crossed our minds when preparing. We've added it to things to consider when we start our next bookclub. Thank you.
Aleta de Tiburón
Posted on September 12, 2022
The audiobook seems to be of the first edition of the book.
I found a used copy via iberlibro.com which is a metasite with many used book vendors. It was a bit tricky finding a copy that is sold by a store that is within the EU (to avoid it getting held up in Customs); most are in the UK, so definitely check the location of the book store!