Many students have complained about the high cost of books, especially at university bookstores. I recently found out how great the disparity was between bookstore prices and online prices.
I keep telling myself to take Critical Thinking in the Philosophy Department at the University of Minnesota, Duluth. I even got my wife to consider taking it also.
Today, I looked it up in the UMD catalog. For the fall semester the class is full and even the waiting list is full. Besides, I looked at the costs and it would be about $1,000 apiece to take the class, if I read the fee schedule correctly.
OK, what's the text, maybe I'll just read that. I clicked on the bookstore link and Moore and Parker's "Critical Thinking" is $111 new and $83.25 used. What does Abe Books charge, a consortium of used booksellers across the country? Would you believe $1.00? With shipping less than $4.00?
As always, there is a caveat. Although the books may be in fair or good condition, these super-low prices are for editions from the 1990's. If you want an edition in 2004 or 2005, then the prices with shipping are about $35.00. If you want the latest edition (2009), then it will cost you less than $70.00. Three were available new and one used. That still beats $83.25.
The advantage to the newer editions may that they use examples from current events. I would think the pre-2000 editions wouldn't have much about global warming or wars of choice.
Now to figure out when I want to read "Critical Thinking". I think I have over 200 books on my to read list:)
