This book is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This book may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or if it was not purchased for your use only, please purchase your own copy.

I found this notice on the copyright page of something I bought at a recent used book sale. I can’t recall seeing a warning so overtly hostile to book borrowers and hope I never do again. I know about the first sale doctrine, and that this is completely unenforceable, but it still offends me. Should I contact the author for instructions on returning it unread?

  • @a14o@feddit.org
    90•1 month ago

    This book may not be re-read. If you plan to read it more than once, please purchase an additional copy for each read-through.

    • slazer2auEnglish
      49•1 month ago

      You joke but I bet Amazon would love to do this with Audible.

      Considering there were limited play DVDs for a while it doesn’t seem unlikely someone tries this.

      • veeeEnglish
        20•1 month ago

        Flexplay is a trademark for a discontinued DVD-compatible optical video disc format with a time-limited (usually 48-hour) playback. They are often described as "self-destructing”, although the disc merely turns black or dark red and does not physically disintegrate.

        Wow, TIL. I can’t imagine if this ever made its way to audio CDs.

    • @i_stole_ur_taco@lemmy.ca
      16•1 month ago

      If you would like to reread any number of books you already own, consider subscribing to our Rereadr Plus service. For only $3.99 per month (with ads) or $12.99 per month (no ads), you can reread any of your books an unlimited number of times (subject to our Fair Reading Policy).