Cost of History on the Rise?

Does it seem to you that the overall prices for history e-books are on the rise? Most of the history e-books on my wish list are now ranging from $12.99 up to $19.99 with the average cost around $14.99. Are the publishers trying to push the overall non-fiction e-book price up past their recent $12.99 big 5 price point in a greedy attempt to make more money?

Of course we know that Penigun Publishing is in for the price gouging, but even Random House and Simon and Schuster have gone from $12.99 to the higher priced non-fiction e-books. Such a shame, there are so many other reasonably priced e-books out there to read (Amazon's recent Sunshine Deals proved that) that these higher e-book prices just keep many of us e-book readers away.

Here are a few of the e-books on my wish list that I will be avoiding due to their current pricing. *I just saw that the Ann Coulter e-book has dropped from $14.99 to $12.99 this last week.




And here is one that I have really been wanting to read for awhile now. The price has been up to $16.99 and is now $13.99. I am still holding out for a lower price! Sorry Random House, no sale!

Simon & Schuster Slaps Paris and Customers

David McCullough is a master at bringing history alive. I have always looked forward to any new release by him, however since I have gone exclusively e-book only these days I was once again appalled and shocked at publisher's Simon & Schuster's insane pricing for McCullough's latest, 'The Greater Journey - Americans in Paris'. Really Simon & Schuster's? $19.99? Have you gone MAD? Do you NOT want people to read this e-book? Heck the audiobook in abridged form is cheaper on Amazon then the e-book is!

I am seeing this a current trend by the big publishers with their non-fiction e-books. I have seen prices jump from $12.99 up to $14.99 and now we are hitting the $19.99 mark.

Thank goodness for Amazon's Sunshine Deals. I will reward the publishers and authors who have reasonable priced e-books with my business. There are plenty of other e-books in the sea!

Save Cash When Buying iBooks in June

Update - June 10, 2011 - Looks like Best Buy has extended their 15% off deal on iTunes gift cards out until June 18th, 2011!

Attention United States readers!!!!

Target is selling iTunes and iBook gift cards for 20% until Saturday June 11th. Best Buy is selling iTunes and iBook gift cards for 15% until Saturday June 11th. Staples will have a 'buy 2 $25 iTunes cards and get $10 off during the week of June 12th, 2011 - June 18th 2011.

What a great way to save some money if you purchase iBooks. Remember you can use either an iTunes gift card or iBooks gift card to purchase iBooks from Apple. Plus they make a great gift for grads and dads!

I also would like to point out that with the newest computer iTunes update you can now browse and purchase iBooks right on your computer. Before you could only browse the iBookstore on your iPad or iPhone.

Amazon Spreads Sunshine On Ebook Readers

I am sure many have already heard about or seen Amazon's hot new 'Sunshine Deals' offer but if you haven't head over to Amazon quick, the offers end June 15th, 2011. There are some great deals, on some terrific e-books, with prices starting at .99 cents up to $2.99.

I have already picked up several deals that I had on my wish list. Below are some of the e-books I purchased. Most were originally priced at around $9.99.

I hope publishers take notice and realize that lower e-book prices can generate more sales and create good-will towards their e-book customers! Now if we could get some of those crazy $19.99 e-book prices to come down! Yes Penguin Publishing I am talking about you!

'Foundation' is Key to a Great Sci-Fi Read

I have always been fond of Isaac Asimov’s ‘Foundation’ series. Like the ‘Lord of the Rings’ I have come back to the ‘Foundation’ books several times over my last 50 years. Although I have read the original trilogy I never finished the entire 7 book series. I am currently on ‘Foundation and Earth’ and am enjoying it so far.


My current excitement for the 'Foundation' series was re-energized this last week (May 9^th - 15^th, 2011) when the web site iO9 took an in depth look into the series. It is an excellent read, written by Josh Wimmer and Alasdair Wilkins, and I wanted to share it will all ‘Foundation’ fans.


Now since this blog focuses on e-books I wanted to also point out the current 'Foundation' books that are available in e-book format. Not all of them are unfortunately. Luckily the first 3 books are available in both Kindle and ePub format.

Foundation -

Foundation and Empire -

Second Foundation - 

'Foundation’s Edge' and 'Foundation and Earth' are both available in ePub format on the Apple iBooks store but I could not find Prelude to Foundation or Forward the Foundation in e-book format anywhere.  All e-book editions are currently price reasonable at $7.99.

Now here are the links to a VERY interesting take on all seven of the Asimov written 'Foundation' books. Enjoy!

Day one featured - ‘The Foundation’ - ‘Isaac Asimov’s Foundation: The little idea that became science fiction’s biggest series’

http://io9.com/5799655/isaac-asimovs-foundation-the-little-idea-that-became-science-fictions-biggest-series

Day two featured - ‘Foundation and Empire’ - ‘In which events take a generally darker turn: Foundation and Empire by Isaac Asimov’ - 

http://io9.com/5799689/in-which-events-take-a-generally-darker-turn-foundation-and-empire-by-isaac-asimov

Day three featured - ‘Second Foundation’ - ‘Mind games and mysteries abound in Isaac Asimov’s Second Foundation’ - 

http://io9.com/5799734/mind-games-and-mysteries-abound-in-isaac-asimovs-second-foundation

Day four featured - ‘Foundation’s Edge’ - ‘Foundation’s Edge by Isaac Asimov: The end is the beginning is the end’ -

http://io9.com/5799785/foundations-edge-by-isaac-asimov-the-end-is-the-beginning-is-the-end

Day five featured - ‘Foundation and Earth’ - ‘Home again, home again, in so many ways: Isaac Asimov’s Foundation and Earth’ - 

http://io9.com/5800423/home-again-home-again-in-so-many-ways-isaac-asimovs-foundation-and-earth

Day six featured - ‘Prelude to Foundation’ - ‘In Prelude to Foundation, Isaac Asimov delves into psychohistory’s sorta psycho history’ -

http://io9.com/5800631/in-prelude-to-foundation-isaac-asimov-delves-into-psychohistorys-sorta-psycho-history

Day seven featured - ‘Forward the Foundation’ - ‘In which a great work is finally completed: Isaac Asimov’s Forward the Foundation’ -

http://io9.com/5801963/in-which-a-great-work-is-finally-completed-isaac-asimovs-forward-the-foundation

Macmillan Lets A 'Brother' Down

This will be a short post. All I can say is - REALLY? Ah, and then I noticed it is being sold by Macmillan. Should have known. $9.99 for a book that is in the public domain. Wow! I wonder, do I get a kiss with this purchase too?

'The Shrike' Slashes On To E-book Format

I just discovered one of my favorite books, Dan Simmon's 'Hyperion', has finally made it to Amazon's Kindle and Apple's e-book stores! It has been awhile since I first read 'Hyperion' but it is indeed a CLASSIC as are the follow-up books to the story - 'The Fall of Hyperion', 'Endymion', and 'The Rise of Endymion'.

I am not sure how long these e-books have been out but if you are a sci-fi fan this is a must read. I have read, in some reviews of the e-book, that the conversion of the book to e-book format has many misspellings and has some formatting issues. Hopefully a cleaned up version will be release to address these issues.

I am VERY excited about this release and have already downloaded and purchased all of the 'Hyperion' e-books and will re-read them as soon as I finish Simmon's 'The Terror'.