So, I’ve been looking for a book lately, specifically this book.
So I fired off an email to the one seller that has that listed on Amazon Marketplace:
I was looking for this book, titled “Structural Analysis and Design of Nuclear Plant Facilities”: 087262238X
You currently have this book listed for $2,000. Is this a mistake?
Thanks,
Shortly after, I received this as a reply:
Hello Sir/Madame
True. this unique tree volumes book is for sale for two thousand dollars.
Let me know if you want buy it
Best Regards
Cambridge book depot staff
And then I got a second response, about 2 hours after the first:
Dear Mr. Cole,
My phone number is XXX XXX-XXXX
Please call me if you have a further questions
Best regards
redacted
So, after pondering that for a minute, I fired off a response:
Sorry, I intend to use this book for my job, and $2k is too high for such a use for a book. I do understand it is out of print and difficult to get ahold of, but my local libraries have several copies I can check out as necessary; owning a copy is merely a convenience. I would consider a price of $200, which I would consider a fair price due to the used nature but also accounting for its rarity.
Thanks,
And…. this is where it gets good. I soon received a reply:
Dear Mr. Cole,
I rather sell this book within the boundary of the US because this book is the hard work of some brilliant American engineers. I did not want to exaggerate the used nature of the book despite it appears that it has never been used. I can decrease the price for about 100$ because another Robert Cole taught me Management at St. Mary’s University in San Antonio, Texas. I can wait for you until you manage to find financing or finding to purchase this book. It is the only copy posted for sale in the world. I guarantee you someone will come out from outside the US specially from Korea and buy the book.
I would love to sell the book but you need to help me out too.
Thank you for your time
redacted
WTF does korea have to do with a book that I want to purchase, and because I have the same name as a professor he had in college, how would that entitle me to a discount on a grossly overpriced book?
After thinking that it seems like a scammer, I went ahead and sent this:
Again, I understand how difficult it is to locate a copy for sale, but as I said, this would be for convenience only. I have a copy sitting on my desk right now which is checked out from the local library on a 6 month loan, and there are 5 other libraries which I can check it out from for free in my area.
I have been looking for a copy to purchase, rather than purchase copy rights from ASCE, which they have offered to allow me to do so I can keep a scanned copy at my desk from my borrowed copy. $200 is the most I’m willing to pay for this convenience.
Thanks,
