eBooks need to be cheaper than print books for the simple reason that they require a $250+ hardware investment on top of the price of the book.

True. Though plenty of people seem to have no trouble reading on their iPhones, or so I hear, though I certainly agree with you about the screen size myself. I use the Kindle app fairly regularly, but only because I already have a Kindle and being able to share the books between them is useful for the rare situation I can't or don't want to bring my Kindle.

The resale issue is something that will have to be tackled eventually. Honestly, though, it might not. Used CD stores are a lot rarer than they used to be, and used book stores might, sadly, go the same route. That's one reason why I think less popular books (like the kind that eventually end up in used book stores) should cost less to begin with.

It takes a lot of work to resell books for any reasonable price anyway. Take it to a used bookstore and the amount you'll get for it is generally laughable. Sell it on half.com and it's better, but then you have to go through all the shipping work. Hassle.

Maybe the prices are still distorted because it's still a fairly niche market. People who spend $250-$500 for a reader, are more likely to still buy e-books even when the price isn't that great.

I agree with this. It's one of the reasons Amazon was artificially setting the price of books so low - they could argue that the savings would pay for the Kindle fairly quickly for serious readers. I'm pretty sure I've already paid for BOTH of my Kindles in saved money, which will become less easy to argue if the book prices become more expensive.

eBooks need to be cheaper than print books for the simple reason that they require a $250+ hardware investment on top of the price of the book.

We discount eBook textbooks for the simple reason that there are no printing or delivery costs. But we don't have the multiple format (hardback, etc.) issue.

I haven't bought any books for my kindle yet, but I wasn't a big book buyer to start with. I pretty much only shell out for friend's books, and buy whatever is at the good will. I am working my was through all of the Louisa May Alcott on Project Guttenberg right now.

Some libraries do offer free ebooks (that expire after 3 weeks or so), but I don't know how compatible the formats are with the various DRM-ed e-readers on the market. (My MiL is in charge of buying books for her library system and it's a constant struggle to find a format that works for library rentals AND will work on customers' devices. Her librarians generally advise people to buy netbooks instead of dedicated ereaders for library books. Audiobooks have the same issue.)

Sophia, if you're looking for another Victorian novelist after Alcott, may I suggest Margaret Oliphant?

I found one of Mrs. Oliphant's (as she was also known) novels, Hester, at a book fair for $3. She's definitely in the realist category. Think Anthony Trollope, but from a woman's point of view. Not that Oliphant is Trollope's equal, but she's a perceptive author and an interesting read. And Emma Ashton may be one of the most underrated comic characters in Victorian literature.

Thank you Fred-- I will have to remember that!

I've been checking out ebooks from the library. Seattle has lots. They have three formats, a PDF one, another similar but fancier pdfesque thing and mobi.

I think the hope is that people will move towards ePub for library rentals, and that readers will move toward that as well. At the moment the Kindle doesn't support it, but I really hope that changes: a universal, open format is everybody's friend.

At the moment, the Kindle can read library mobipocket books, apparently, though it helps to run them through calibre. I haven't tested it, though I'm about to see if I can try it.

but I really hope that changes: a universal, open format is everybody's friend.

You're assuming that Amazon wants to be ANYONE'S friend.

Regardless of how they're trying to spin this, this has bubkes to do with concern for the consumer and everything to do with keeping control of the marketplace.

My Library lists Adobe ePub eBook, Adobe PDF eBook, and MobiPocket eBooks. It looks like a bit of a mess, the books appear to be at most supported by 1 or 2 of the formats but never all three.

Audiobooks are more consistent. Almost all are available in WMA with some also in MP3. If you jump through the proper hoops you can get them to work on iPods and Zunes. I have a Samsung Mp3 player so I can play everything the library has in that department.