Funny how a chain of thought goes:

1. I read a few titles and thought "Hmm, I'll go and buy a few of these on Amazon."

2. Then I thought: "I already have some of these books that I never read, I could gift them to others."

3. Perhaps I could set up some sort of book exchange where HN users can share books.

4. It would barely be worth the hassle and cost of postage.

5. Couldn't we share digital copies and avoid the postage?

6. That's PIRACY. The idea is dead.

It seems to me that a future where books cost a maximum of $2.99 is inevitable. I would unhesitatingly have bought 10 of these books, and there'd be almost no point in 'pirating' them, or even in sharing physical copies.