Oh yeah, well in my day...

My admittedly hazy memory of being gouged for textbooks was just something I figured was part of higher education, like last second panic and a generalized anxiety disorder.
Students today are still getting smacked pretty good, but it looks like there's a lot more options to get books cheaper.
The standout paragraph, however is this:
(U of T professor Don) "Brean has been teaching for 35 years and prefers to use a package of readings by different authors to teach his courses rather than a textbook.
"Younger and less seasoned professors would take comfort and lead courses with textbooks."
Brean doesn't even use the textbook he wrote in his classes. Other professors use his book, yet despite earning royalties from the number of books sold, Brean says he doesn't actively solicit sales.
"This way there is zero conflict of interest."
This just seems an eminently sensible way to keep costs down, although with education payouts spiraling upward, perhaps students might consider voting in better numbers to get their issues addressed.

Posted by Dave