No one can very seriously complain at the rise in
the price of the 7s. 6d. novel to 8s. 3d., in view of the increase in the costs falling on both publishers and booksellers. Com- pulsory insurance of the latter's stocks is a heavy item, and the publisher has not merely insurance of stocks but a steady rise in the cost of paper as well to cope with. Neither of them will be better off than he was before the war as a result of the extra 9d. But 8s. 3d. is an uncomfortable kind of figure, and I imagine that at least another 3d. will go on before long. The last war, of course, saw the end of the once familiar 6s. novel, which actually cost only 4s. 6d., for it was sold at 25 per cent. discount. First of all the discount dropped off, and then the price rose successively from 6s. net to 6s. 6d., 75. and 7s. 6d.—all equally net—in other words, an ultimate rise of 3s., or 66 per cent. We may find some consolation in the present and prospective increase in the reflection that our fathers (fairly oldish fathers) when they bought novels paid 31s. 6d. for them in the old three-decker form at los. 6d. a volume.
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