Call me evil, but yes, I would.

Yep, me too, if only so I could then get to sleep at a decent hour instead of staying up until midnight.

I wouldn't be able to resist...instant gratification type here...tho I have already ordered it from Amazon for day of pub delivery...so I guess I'd give the extra to my local public library, to which I owe so much.

Yeah, count me among the evildoers, I'd snap it up in an instant.

My DD and I had ordered one copy from Amazon, and planned to get our other copy at a midnight bookstore bash. However, our plans changed and we'll be heading out to the (very lovely) back of beyond NH for vacation on the 20th. Our plan right now is to wake up early on the 21st and drive the 40 miles back into town to find the books. An early release would be very helpful, lol!

If I owned a bookstore, I'd charge full price for an early copy, then discount on the official date.

... and you'd probably sell out at full price, too!

Yes, unfortunately, I'd buy the (unauthorized) book as well. But I'd still go out at midnight and pick up the one I ordered from Chapters! ;-)

But if I was the bookseller, I'd have second thoughts about selling early. You don't want to annoy someone (like JK Rowling) or something (like the HP publishers) who have massively deep pockets and who can therefore afford a TON of high-priced lawyers who would love nothing better than to make your life a living legal hell.

Not that high-priced lawyers or JK Rowling or HP publishers are bad people or anything like that. (Just in case one of them is reading this!)

;-)

Street date is street date. The American publisher is Scholastic, and I have a feeling they would come down like a ton of bricks on any bookseller that did release early-and they publish a lot more than the HP books.

I can't see it happening. I don't think a bookshop would stay in business if they did that. They'd make money on the pre-release, but none in the future. Bloomsbury wouldn't supply them in future, and neither, I suspect, would other publishers.

oh yes, cece, thank you... that means one more precaution must be taken - pay cash.

Tongue firmly placed in cheek,
PAM

it's my understanding from what i have read, that scholastic has made every store and library that will have the book sign something saying they wouldnt release the book until the 21st. JKR has been very public about not wanting the book read before the date for fear of spoilers getting posted online and ruining the book for lots of people

It is absolutely true that booksellers have to sign an agreement - not to open the boxes of books before the set time (8:31am here in Adelaide), also not to have the boxes in public areas until just before that time. Breaking the agreement (and selling the book prematurely would be found out, I'm sure) means no more dealings with the publisher, Allen and Unwin for us, and probably legal consequences and loss of money as well. This would not be something any bookseller would want to risk.
Besides, it adds to the fun to have to hide the books and have a countdown to the box opening.

Libraries as well-new books come through the delivery system with a large "DO NOT SHELVE BEFORE STREET DATE" wrapper.

It's funny you should mention that, cece, because I'm often first on the list for new library books, and I get them and read them before they are released in the bookstores or online.

My opinion may not count...part of my dislike for the books is this kind of merchandising. I read the first one before they became popular. So...just to be a rebel and obnoxious, I probably would buy it ahead...if I read them anymore. I just don't feel like feeding into the publisher's pockets with the way they hype this.

cmc....hmmmmmm. Ours come in a sealed box with a large "Do NOT Shelve before...." sign on the top-interesting.

Cece, maybe the local library is splitting hairs by going ahead and checking it out for those on the waiting list. Technically, they're not really putting it on the shelves, right? *smile*

I would be tempted, only because if the books are out there, someone somewhere will be giving out the ending and I DO NOT WANT TO KNOW before I read the book!

Mary

There're reports of the last chapter being posted on the web. I haven't looked at any of the links provided or opened any of the threads. In almost every case, I don't care about spoilers, but I'm making an exception here.

The last HP novel was released when I was expecting to be in my home town, so I had it delivered to my sister's along with 4 other books. When the driver delivered the 4 other novels the day before the HP release date, my sister exclaimed, "Oh, Goody! The new Harry Potter!" The delivery driver would not leave the package until Sister opened the box to prove the new HP wasn't there. Apparently the threat of being fired was laid upon everyone if the book was delivered early.

All books seem to have this concrete release date these days. Do I remember correctly that it didn't used to be this way?

I read an article about this - both the small and large bookstores said they wouldn't sell the books early - no how, no way. The consequences would be severe, to say the least. Not just financial, but actual prison terms...no thanks.

Article today in the NYT that Scholastic is suing DeepDiscount.com for sending out books a week early. Scholastic is asking people who got them not to read their books until the 21st. Yeah, right.

There has always been a "release date" but rarely was it so rigid as with recent, anxiously awaited best sellers-on-the-move. It is only fair, really-if you hear that Bookshop A, over on 4th street, will sell you the book early, and bookshop B, uptown, will adhere to their agreement with the publisher, which bookshop would you patronize? So B gets the short end of the stick by being honorable.

I'm amazed anyone would allow an 'accident' like that to happen, re DeepDiscount sending them out early. They're going to have such huge repercussions - as they should.

I rescind my earlier post about buying a pre-pub copy, if available. I've decided that unauthorized selling in a situation like this is rotten behavior, as would be buying and reading a book under those circumstances.