Bookonomics 101

[faustus]

We hold these truths to be self evident:

• Each book its reader, each copy its time to be bought.
  
• Buy the book you want when you see it - lest you spend another five years tracking it down.
  
• If you invoke the £2 Rule ("I can buy it if I see it for £2 or less") it is bad faith to not buy a copy which fits the £2 rule.
  
• Exceptions to the £2 Rule are allowed for specific texts (e.g. Da Da Vinci Code, the £1 Rule) but it is double bad faith with toffee on top to then not buy it.
  
• Purchasing books under the £1 Rule will lead to spotting copies that would fit the 50p Rule.
  
• There will be a cheaper copy if and only if you buy the more expensive one.
  
• Get used to it.
  
• Never underestimate the ability of dealers to misfile books.