[anto1ne]

It's bullshit because the biggest part in the price of a paper book is for printing and distribution. and VAT too in some countries, 20% instead of 5%, but it's going to change.

So the Agency pricing scheme is only changing the pocket where money goes.

And keep in mind that in countries like China, the same books cost usually $3, after translating rights, printing, distribution and publishers costs. And publishers still live on this, in a country where people buy much less books.

So what is fucked up is that someone is making money, and it doesn't even benefit the authors.

It's more or less the same problem as in music.

[loewenskind]

>It's bullshit because the biggest part in the price of a paper book is for printing and distribution.

Irrelevant. Pricing is based on value provided, not cost to create.

>and it doesn't even benefit the authors.

This is indeed an issue, but it is then up to authors to find better representation the way that athletes have so they can get a larger share in the value they create.