The War Against Affordable Books

Cite this Article
Thomas A. Lambert, The War Against Affordable Books, Truth on the Market (October 28, 2009), https://truthonthemarket.com/2009/10/28/the-war-against-affordable-books/

Last week Josh discussed the American Booksellers’ Association’s effort to get the Justice Department to pursue antitrust charges against Walmart, Target, and Amazon for engaging in a vigorous, consumer-benefiting price war. In today’s Boston Globe, Jeff Jacoby has a nice piece highlighting a bit more of the Association’s tortured logic. (HT: Don Boudreaux.) Apparently, these low prices are “devaluing the very concept of the book” and may actually discourage reading and the “sharing of ideas in the culture.” Go figure.

Here’s the Association’s letter to the DOJ in all its glory.