PURCHASE THE BOOK THROUGH YOUR favourite seller, several mail-order firms, or through Columbia University Press with a discount.*** E-books are instant. Six months after holding a hardback straight off the press, I finally saw a copy in an Australian bookshop (Gleebooks, $56). Blame the coronavirus for pushing up airfreight costs. In answer to that, copies are being printed locally (rrp AU$57.95).

***Here is the Columbia link to use the friendly promo code CUP30 for a 30% discount. Before delivery, the Columbia site quotes $35.00 US and £30.00. With discount and postage to Australia, I recently made the total $52.44 AUD. An ebay seller has copies for $55.62, and bookdepository seek $63.61).