Reasons for Price Hikes Are as Thin as Paper

Re “Getting Your Words’ Worth?” (June 16): Let me see if I got this right. The price of hardcover book paper went from $40 to $52 per 100 pounds. According to my bathroom scale, a one-pound book averages 225 pages. Ergo, the production cost of each 225-page book has gone up by 12 cents, and the paper for a 400-page book might be a whole $1.

This represents, the article reports, one-third of the total production costs, including royalties. Hence, the 400-page book is now up to $3. Because of this, the retail price must rise to $20, even $25.

Did I get that right? Maybe I need a new scale.

THOMAS GAULT

La Mirada