What’s the most expensive Kindle book you can buy on Amazon?
By Paul Smith
Avid Bitterwallet reader James has been investigating the prices of e-books for the Kindle. After noticing that the likes of Alice in Wonderland were available for free, he decided to see what the most expensive Kindle book was. The answer? Landolt-Börnstein’s seminal classic Selected Nuclear Materials and Engineering Systems:
Whilst £3,488 might be a bargain price compared to the physical edition, it’s seems a little foolish for Amazon to have it available to buy with 1-Click. And it seems James isn’t the only person to have enquired about the pricing – in fact, Selected Nuclear Materials and Engineering Systems is winning over fans everywhere, at least according to the Amazon US reviews:
I had to sell my car and take out an equity loan on my house to buy this book, but it was worth every penny. The previous volumes built to almost unbearable tension, leaving many questions unanswered. Would breeder reactors survive competition from newer technology? Would the nuclear waste problem be solved in our lifetime? Would Iran’s nuclear program be stopped before it could endanger the free world? Could Diablo Canyon ever be made safe from earthquakes? Would the beautiful but annoying anti-nuclear activist (played by Jane Fonda in the TV miniseries adaptation) come around to seeing the joys and wonders of nuclear power?
These questions and many others are resolved in a denouement that is both ingenious and satisfying. I won’t give away the ending, but I can say with assurance that you won’t be disappointed. Highly recommended!
I know what you’re thinking : crystallographic and thermodynamic data of ternary alloy systems is a such a hackneyed plot device. But Landolt-Börnstein work their magic in such a subtle and layered way that at 3am when you are reading just one more page, you suddenly realise how they have completely turned everything on its head and produced the most breathtakingly original work. Not to mention the most spellbinding.
It is a little lightweight on the intellectual side and perhaps should be included in the tweens section, but overall well worth 5 stars. I got it before the 20% discount became available and am delighted. So it really is an absolute steal right now.
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