The Estate of Harper Lee has decreed that the inexpensive mass market paperback of To Kill a Mockingbird will no longer be published. This edition was very popular with schools and libraries.
According to the AV Club “The mass-market edition of Mockingbird—which currently features silhouetted cover art by Sarah Jane Coleman, but which is probably best remembered as the puce-covered little volume that populates the shelves of so many American high schools—was the cheapest version of the book on the market, retailing for a little more than half of what Harper Collins charges for its sturdier trade paperback edition. That low price point made it a favorite for budget-starved schools, where Lee’s novel is frequently taught. (Schools usually get a half-price deal on books for classrooms, meaning they could pick up mass-market copies of the novel for roughly $4.50 per student.)”
The Hachette Book Group confirmed that the mass market paperback will no longer be available in an an email sent on Friday to booksellers all over the United States. “The disappearance of the iconic mass market edition is very disappointing to us, especially as we understand this could force a difficult situation for schools and teachers with tight budgets who cannot afford the larger, higher-priced paperback edition that will remain in the market,” a Hachette representative said in the email sent to booksellers, which was obtained by Good e-Reader. Hachette will not be able to sell the edition after April 25, the email said.”
Michael Kozlowski is the editor-in-chief at Good e-Reader and has written about audiobooks and e-readers for the past fifteen years. Newspapers and websites such as the CBC, CNET, Engadget, Huffington Post and the New York Times have picked up his articles. He Lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
