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Can someone tell me....

Skwert78

New Member
I am looking forward to reading the Da Vinci Code. I was going to purchase it from ebay as my college budget doesn't really have much room for new hardcover books. Upon searching for it I find a lady who is selling it in paperback. Now I realize other countries have released it in paperback (in french for example), but she claims this is the english version. The cover is exactly like the hardback version. She says she ordered it from Amazon under the impression it was hardcover and when it arrived, it was paperback. Is this legit? Is it possible that she has the american version in paperback? I heard it wasn't being released until June of 2005. I want an opinion from people more in-the-know about books before I bid. Thanks!

Skwert
 
There are a couple different ways that a "hardback only" books is in paperback, sometimes book clubs print a paperback version (see www.qpb.com) or sometimes there is an "advance reader's edition" that is supposed to only be sent for promotional reasons. It's possible that Amazon acquired this and sent it out accidently, or it could have been from one of those other sources and she bought it as a used book through Amazon's used service.

I suppose also it could be a British edition that wandered over and was purchased used.

If you're buying it just to read, and getting a good price, who cares?

If you ever are planning to sell a book later, a book club edition is worth less, but there are going to be a few million copies of this book floating around so it doesn't really have any resale value anyway.
 
Why are book club books worthless? Is there something wrong with them? Not that I care to resell it...but still, I'm curious.
 
Skwert78 said:
Why are book club books worthless? Is there something wrong with them? Not that I care to resell it...but still, I'm curious.

Not really sure, it's the same words . . . but that really only depends on if it has any collectable value. If readers (as opposed to "collectors", not that one person can't be both) are just sending down the used book line for more readers, it isn't an issue.
 
I reserved a copy from my local public library: Long waiting list. :mad:

I read the start of the novel (CLICK HERE) and I can't wait to get it and finish reading the story.
 
Alibris has a couple of paperback editions for sale, used, which describes them as "abridged." These are probably book club editions, as I suspect the one you've heard of for sale is. I would ask the woman if it says on the cover that it is abridged.

Why not order a used hardcover from Amazon? They have loads at about $10, and no bidding involved.
 
Thinking on this, the best thing to do is probably ask her for the ISBN number, plug it into Amazon, and if it doesn't come up it's almost certainly a book club edition, probably abridged.
 
If money's really tight, you might want to patronize your local library. Sure, the waiting list may be long for new books, but think of the money you'll save! :D
 
I just purchased Angels & Demons (pb) online for two bucks. I'm reading that one before The Da Vinci Code. :D
 
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