[Paul Lake]

Rhina Espaillat has a whole chapter (4) in a relatively new book:

http://www.amazon.com/Formal-Matters.../dp/023039163X

[Roger Slater]

It's a shame that it costs $80, and a particular shame that the publisher is charging $68 for the Kindle edition. I would very much like to read the book, especially the chapter on Rhina.

[Paul Lake]

On Google Books, you can read a chunk of Rhina's chapter.

[Janice D. Soderling]

I hope it will later be available in paperback. I see that the publisher is Palgrave Macmillan (July 25, 2013) (220 pages)

Palgrave Macmillan was created in 2000 when St. Martin's Press Scholarly and Reference in the USA united with Macmillan Publishers in the UK to combine their worldwide academic publishing operations. The company was known as simply Palgrave until 2002, but has since been known as Palgrave Macmillan. It is now part of the Macmillan Group and belongs to the German publishing company Verlagsgruppe Georg von Holtzbrinck.

I am of course happy for Rhina, we all are.

But I am concerned about the consequences for a knowledge-seeking public when international mergers in the book industry result in pricing of "real knowledge" that targets the more affluent academic segment and is out of reach of a greater number in the Latino community who would benefit. There was a time that libraries filled up the gap, but I wonder how many will do that--these days, they are all being downsized.

But I'm glad to know the book is out there, and sooner or later I hope to acquire it.

Checking out the price in Sweden, I see that the complete title is:

Formal Matters in Contemporary Latino Poetry—The Politics of Gender, Race, and Migrations in Twenty-first Century Narratives

That is definitely a book I'd like to read, better still, own.

Nuffa the griping. Big bows and curtsies to Rhina for being acknowledged for her craft and for her presence in the poetry community.

[Roger Slater]

I wouldn't say the academic segment is all that affluent. Text books are a substantial part of the soaring costs of higher education, and part of the reason millions of students have to take out loans they'll be paying back for years to come. I just think the publisher doesn't know how to price its own wares. Given that the marginal cost of selling another Kindle copy is zero, it's hard to believe the publisher wouldn't enjoy greater profits by charging a price that people like us would actually pay to own the book. At $10-15 for the Kindle edition, I'd be reading it now, as I trust many of us here would be.

[Janice D. Soderling]

That makes sense.

It doesn't convert me to a Kindle lover, but I understand your point.

[Roger Slater]

I imagine the same is true of the hard copy version, but I couldn't make the point without knowing what it costs to produce each book. Still, since the book is not being sold for its production values or fancy illustrations, and is just 220 pages, I imagine the $80 price is way higher than necessary to recoup the cost of production plus a healthy profit.

I will read what I can on Google Books, as Paul suggests.

[Nausheen Eusuf]

You might be able to request it on inter-library loan from your local library, and then just Xerox the chapter on Rhina. I have access to a university library, and request books through ILL all the time, so I'd be happy to get the book, scan the relevant chapter, and email it to any Sphereans who want it. Just let me know.

Nausheen

[Janice D. Soderling]

Thx, Nausheen, that might work for some. Me, I covet the entire book. I know it is a sin to covet. That doesn't stop me from doing it.

[Rhina P. Espaillat]

I didn't post news of this anthology because when it was published I found the price too high, and told the editor so. I'm hoping it's reprinted at a more reasonable price eventually, and will let everyone know if that happens.
Meanwhile, I'm grateful for all your congratulations, and very proud to be in the anthology in such good company!