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From: Viren Gandhi
Date: 10/10/01
Time: 5:15:48 AM
Remote Name: 203.199.63.87
Prices of Stuttering Related Books.
SFA , Charitable Organisation, has many Excellent Books available at very low prices. Other Books on Stuttering are often sold at Prices ranging from US $ 20 -40. I am talking only about Books, which PWS should read and not meant for Students etc.
In Third World countries this prices are unaffordable. Very few PWS would be able to afford such books. Also there would be few Libraries having them. Ideally PWS should have his/her own set of books, which he/she can refer again and again when he/she wants to.
In Country like India, Many Book Publishers have arrangements with Foreign Publishers and they print variety of books at low cost. It includes books on Management, Economics, Computers etc. Typically a book which may cost Rs. 1200 abroad is sold here for Rs. 200- Rs. 300. ( 1 US $ = Rs. 48) Those are printed on Lower Quality Paper and are also not Hard Cover Editions. But it's acceptable to us. Even if Paper Quality is Bad (Grass is showing in Paper !) then also it's better having them at affordable price. This affordable price may not be still affordable for many people. Such Indian Edition Books are sold with Condition that this is only for India and Neighboring Countries like Bangladesh, Pakistan etc. Those Books are not to be exported to USA.
We hear, Therapy with Qualified SLP costs a lot in Western Countries. In Third World Countries, we are not sure whether we would find Qualified and Dedicated SLPs everywhere or not. And how many of them would be able to afford that.
I would urge SLPs and Publishers, who produce stuttering related books to look into this matter so books can be made to available to masses in Third World Countries.
In country like India, most of the Bestsellers are Pirated and sold at 1/6th price of Soft Cover Editions but none of those would be into Pirating Books on Stuttering. And Stuttering being such a subject, such books would not find much of a sale. I do not advocate piracy. I would like to get Cheaper Indian Editions, which are affordable to people over here and are easily available. I have purchased few books on other diseases like Hypertension or Eye Care etc., which are sold as low as below Rs. 50. These books are like what SFA publishes in USA.
Internet, Stuttering Related Mailing Lists and Books (affordable) can play a greater role in helping PWS in Third Word Countries.
Though English is most widely used language, country like India would still need translations in Many Regional Languages. We are having perhaps at least 20 or more widely used languages. Our currency notes have Denominations printed in 17 Languages. My search on Internet for Indian Stuttering related sites gave me only one site which had one book printed in Indian National Language ie. Hindi on Stuttering.
Regards, Viren Gandhi Mumbai, India E-Mail : viren_gandhi@yahoo.com