What happens to book prices during a recession?

What do you think happens to book prices during a recession? What
about
a depression? Is there a somewhat objective criteria for knowledge
about this?
What about average price book values compared to rare values?

--
Robert Pearson
ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net
Creative Virtue Press/Telical Books/Regenerative Music
http://www.rspearson.com

when society collapses, books can be used to trade for food etc., because no
more books will be published after the total collapse of economies and
governments. No more television or radio for entertainment....only books to
read.


"RS" wrote in message
...
What do you think happens to book prices during a recession? What
about
a depression? Is there a somewhat objective criteria for knowledge
about this?
What about average price book values compared to rare values?

--
Robert Pearson
ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net
Creative Virtue Press/Telical Books/Regenerative Music
http://www.rspearson.com

"Lorrie S." wrote in message
...
when society collapses, books can be used to trade for food etc., because
no
more books will be published after the total collapse of economies and
governments. No more television or radio for entertainment....only books
to
read.

Brilliant point. After "the total collapse of economies and governments" man
will sit around reading because he can't watch the telly. Fortunately
however, the complete and total destruction of society as we know it and the
disintegration of social contract will not lead to anarchism and nihilism,
as some have postulated. Rather, "total collapse of economies" does not
encompass the barter system, "society['s] collapse" leaves room for social
intercourse between neighbors, and with his newfound leisure time in the
state of nature man's nasty cruel brutish and short life becomes decidedly
bookish.






"RS" wrote in message
...
What do you think happens to book prices during a recession? What
about
a depression? Is there a somewhat objective criteria for knowledge
about this?
What about average price book values compared to rare values?

--
Robert Pearson
ParaMind Brainstorming Software http://www.paramind.net
Creative Virtue Press/Telical Books/Regenerative Music
http://www.rspearson.com

Unless, of course, the inability to purchase fuel (whether due to shortage
or exorbitant prices) leads to bookburning.

Don't worry. If obama wins, the word "recession" will vanish from the
airwaves.
The fairness doctrine, however, may require burning of some of your books.


bill



"RS" wrote in message
...
What do you think happens to book prices during a recession? What
about
a depression? Is there a somewhat objective criteria for knowledge
about this?
What about average price book values compared to rare values?

--
Robert Pearson

Robert Pearson wrote:

What do you think happens to book prices during a recession?

Don't people tend to hang on to what they've got (be it money or
goods) during a recession? I mean, obviously people sell things like
stocks and shares, that have no value except in relation to the market
(if the company goes belly up your shares in it are worthless), but
when it comes to actual goods, that have some kind of intrinsic value,
surely people will hold on to them if they can.

I would expect rare/collectible books to go the same way as housing.
People will sit tight if they can and only sell if they have to and/or
are rebuying on the same market. There'll be less cash to splash
around so sellers will be more desperate and prices will drop. With a
billion people going hungry books will be less of a priority. People
who've got the money to buy might expect to pick up some bargains.

As for non-collectible books, I'd expect the secondhand market to drop
in price (these articles already exist and, from a seller's point of
view, one might as well get what one can for them) and new books
perhaps to rise in price (on the basis that, with people going hungry,
"luxury" items will be targeted only at those who can afford them).

*But* none of those things may happen, or they may only happen in
certain situations. If the recession leaves a billion people with cash
to spare there may still be plenty of buyers for those rare first
editions and prices might actually go up, even while the poorest
billion are going hungry.

My two cents' worth.

John