The reality is that new books have always been expensive. It's just that there have been other options in the past, ranging from libraries to remainders to used books. That meant that books were available to pretty much everyone, regardless of their socioeconomic status. I dread the day when the majority of titles are released as ebooks only, because the poor will have what they can read dictated to them based upon price and whether the publisher permits libraries to carry it. (There are a lot of people out there who would have to work an hour and a half for a $10 book, never mind a $20 book. For them, literacy would not be an option.)