“I really want to read more, but books are very expensive” is an excuse I have heard several times. Yes, I agree that books are not cheap at all if we speak in absolute terms[1], but if you measure them in hours of use they are.
Let’s make a comparison: A trip to the movies[2] with your partner costs about $8.00 USD in Mexico without counting transport, parking, etc. If you add popcorn and soda it can easily go to $18.00 USD for a regular show. You consume it in about 2 hours, so it costs about $9.00 USD per hour. Since there are two people it comes out to about $4.50 USD per hour per person ($18.00/2 people = $9.00/2 hours = $4.50 per hour).
An average book costs about $15.00 to $20.00 USD. I admit that it is not cheap at all, especially for Latin American salaries, but you read it in about 5 to 8 hours. Suppose it is a short book and it lasts you 5 hours, it costs you $4.00 USD an hour. If, that book is also read by your partner it would be only $2.00 USD per hour per person, if your dad also reads it it already costs only $1.00 USD and so on for each person who reads it.
If we look at it this way, it doesn’t seem so expensive, does it? As with many things (A computer, a cell phone, etc.), it depends more on the use you give it than on the absolute price as I mention in this other post about measuring your expenses in time, not money, although here I focus on books because that is where I have heard most that they are expensive.
[1] I speak for the case of a person with average income upwards. For those who earn below average, I do believe it is a luxury that most cannot afford and I think we should help improve this, but I will discuss it in another post.
[2] Going to the movies and entertainment, in general, has a lot of value too, it’s just the example that occurred to me. I could have compared it to going to dinner or bowling.