Liars and Outliers on Special Discount

Liars and Outliers has been out since late February, and while it’s selling great, I’d like it to sell better. So I have a special offer for my regular readers. People in the U.S. can buy a signed copy of the book for $11, Media Mail postage included. (Yes, I’m selling the book at a loss.) People in other countries can buy it for $26, postage included. This is significantly cheaper than Amazon’s discount price.

My only request is that, after you read the book, you post a review about it somewhere. On your blog, on Amazon, on — I suppose — Twitter. Just let people know about it.

Order yours here. This price is only good for the first 100 people who respond, so please act quickly.

EDITED TO ADD (8/15): First 300 people; the response has been so overwhelming.

EDITED TO ADD (8/17): This offer has expired.

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Posted on August 15, 2012 at 5:59 AM • 55 Comments

Comments

kashmarek • August 15, 2012 6:42 AM

And why this special deal just to sell 100 additional copies? Oh yes, I know that those 100 are supposed to generate the additional sale of thousands or tens of thousands but do they really? One good review in The New York Times should sell hundreds of thousands but I suspect even that volume is not the target. Perhaps the only print run to date was overly optimistic, potentially leaving the publisher with unsold costly inventory. I think there is something more to “selling better”.

adric • August 15, 2012 6:49 AM

I had to to tell NoScript to allow a possible XSS with an unsafe reload to make the hand-off to PayPal work.

Still it’s kinda like NinjaBurger in that Bruce would already have my payment information if he wanted it and Paypal (eBay) already has it…

Anyway, ordered mine and will blog/twit about it, cheers !

Robert R. • August 15, 2012 6:53 AM

If you’d like the book signed to anyone in particular,
be sure to specify that in a comment in the PayPal order.

I just ordered 4 copies ( 3 as gifts, and 1 for myself ).

There was no “comment” section during the PayPal process to specify who I’d like to book signed to.

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:36 AM

“And why this special deal just to sell 100 additional copies?”

My hope is that you’ll tell your friends how great it is, and that they should read it.

“Oh yes, I know that those 100 are supposed to generate the additional sale of thousands or tens of thousands but do they really?”

Word of mouth is the best advertising there is. If you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on and so on…in just a couple hundred iterations I will have sold a book to every atom in the universe.

“One good review in The New York Times should sell hundreds of thousands but I suspect even that volume is not the target.”

Not that many. But a NYT review is very valuable, because 1) it jump-starts the word-of-mouth recommending, and 2) it induces other publications to review the book. If you know how to get me one of those, I’m all ears.

“Perhaps the only print run to date was overly optimistic, potentially leaving the publisher with unsold costly inventory.”

No. The book is on its second or third print run already. In general, this sort of thing doesn’t happen anymore. Between a change in the tax laws that makes it undesirable for publishers to maintain inventories, and changes in the publishing process to make smaller print runs more cost effective, publishers are rarely stuck with a warehouse of unsold books.

altjira • August 15, 2012 7:38 AM

Purchased, and I’ll be spreading the word. My only concern is that friends and family and whatever followers are getting burned out whenever I open my mouth and start with “Bruce Schneier says…”

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:38 AM

“Is there a ebook version on offer as well? ”

There is, but only through the traditional channels at the traditional prices. See the book’s webpage for details and links.

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 7:45 AM

“Oh, man, I hope this isn’t some kind of case-in-point experiment; if by chance it is, I think I failed it. :)”

Don’t you know you’re always supposed to change doors when given the opportunity.

mpg • August 15, 2012 7:46 AM

Okay, I just bought mine, and thank you, Bruce!…

…but boy do I have the uncomfortable feeling that I and 99 others are going to wind up as a case study in some future Schneier essay 🙂

-mpg

Macarthur • August 15, 2012 7:53 AM

As others have said, there was no option in the comment section, but I just wanted to say on here, that I hope that you spell my name right when signing it. A ton of people misspell my name, even if they have it infront of them.

I was thinking about buying that book, and I honestly forgot about it, until just now. I can’t wait to get it in the mail. If it arrives within the next month or two, and my name is spelled right, I’ll be simply overjoyed. Thanks for this great offer Mr. Schneier

AlexK • August 15, 2012 7:54 AM

Much appreciated Bruce, ordered one right away! I just wish you offered signed copies right from publishing time 🙂

And I’ll post a review with pleasure!

AlexK • August 15, 2012 7:56 AM

“Is there a ebook version on offer as well? ”

With all due respect, I fail to see how a signed copy of that would be very special.

Sorry, just couldn’t contain myself 🙂

Ratskalnikov • August 15, 2012 8:05 AM

I’ve already read the book, having pre-ordered it when it was first coming off the presses. Just ordered another copy to pass on to a federal LEO friend who will enjoy it.

Chris W • August 15, 2012 8:07 AM

“Word of mouth is the best advertising there is. If you tell two friends, and they tell two friends, and so on and so on…in just a couple hundred iterations I will have sold a book to every atom in the universe.”

You left out the increasing number of friends that will respond with “Already got it, great book isn’t it?”. Kind of the birthday-paradox.
Additionally, if every atom in the universe has a copy, there isn’t anything left to pay you with.

Yeah, I know, kind of silly of me.

Firefox • August 15, 2012 8:19 AM

amazon.co.uk currently has Liars and Outliers at £11.89 (~$18.65) with free delivery in the UK, but their normal price of £16.99 is pretty close to your $26.  amazon.fr’s price of EUR 20,74 is near enough $26 too.

Chris W • August 15, 2012 8:28 AM

@Firefox,

Yeah noticed that too, but those aren’t individually signed and shipped overseas 😉

Bruce Schneier • August 15, 2012 8:33 AM

“I just wish you offered signed copies right from publishing time :)”

I did. You weren’t paying attention.

david • August 15, 2012 8:36 AM

and i just bought a copy two weeks ago, haven’t started it yet but looking forward to it. thanks

Paul • August 15, 2012 8:46 AM

I’d be much more inclined to buy a copy if you didn’t use PayPal. Check out WePay or Stripe. Much better alternatives with social media integration to make it easier for us to “let people know about it”…

mcb • August 15, 2012 8:49 AM

Thanks, Bruce. Outliers has been on my To-Read list since you announced it but your generous offer made its purchase irresistable. I’m looking forward to reading it.

PS I just finished leading our SM402 Risk Management course at Saint Mary’s University of Minnesota. One of them suggested adding Beyond Fear to the curriculum for future sessions. Yes, I gave him an “A.”

Liz • August 15, 2012 9:07 AM

would like to order one – can I be emailed at address attached to this post or DMed @scarleto with link to do so?

Antonio Rodriguez • August 15, 2012 9:09 AM

Already had a Kindle copy of your book, but as a collector of signed copies, I jumped for the discounted offer.

I’ve already touted your book to some friends in the Dominican Republic, and one person who got his own copy and read it is now asking me for more recommendations on other books.

Moderator • August 15, 2012 9:37 AM

Those missing the comment field on PayPal: it’s now called “note to seller” and it’s just below the shipping address on the “Review Your Information” page.

King of the Universe • August 15, 2012 10:28 AM

Just ordered a copy. I did not see the “note to seller” field. Too bad, I would have thought of something embarrassing to have asked Bruce to sign it to. 🙂

Wael • August 15, 2012 12:39 PM

Don’t you know you’re always supposed to change doors when given the opportunity.

I wonder how many people got that! It has to do with probability theory! Here is the explanation…

chris • August 15, 2012 2:04 PM

@altjira: “My only concern is that friends and family and whatever followers are getting burned out whenever I open my mouth and start with “Bruce Schneier says…” ”

Hey! me too. I want/need a “Bruce Schneier says….” t-shirt.

JohnJ • August 15, 2012 5:20 PM

Ordered.

In terms of promoting the book you should do an interview on The Colbert Report. Authors that get the “Colbert Bump” often see a rise in sales.

Josh • August 15, 2012 9:35 PM

Oops! I blew right by the “note to seller” field. (And I’d read Bruce’s comment, too!) Bruce, if the field is empty will you sign it to the name on the billing info? Or is there a way to add the note to PayPal after the fact?

R Cox • August 16, 2012 1:53 AM

I have Applied Cryptography, Secrets and Lies, and Beyond Fear. I have been procrastinating on this because of a backlog in reading. Thanks for the discount, and the expanded number of sales.

An anecdote of security. Recently I was touring a major oil services company major research facility. This place has receptionists at the public entrance to every building, ID and sign in to get a badge, escorts to get through the always locked doors, everyone here know the drill. And I know that everyone knows what is coming up.

We go though a checkpoint, to a testing facility. In the back of the testing facility is a secure manufacturing security, with it’s own secured door accesible only with card swipe. Before I even entered the room I noticed an emergency exit to the “secure room” that was propped open.

I reminded me so much or Liars and Outliers. So much security is merely a formality assuming that most of us are going to go with security and not actively try to be outliers. Building a secure room and paying for a card reader while also including a normal door that can be propped open speaks to a culture that is only trying to present itself as secure. Contrast this to a retail establishment where entrance and egress are securely controlled, and emergency exits are equipped with alarms that sound when opened.

I don’t want to pick on this oil services company. I have worked and seen many other places where the back door was much less obvious and potentially caused much more serious problems.

Martino • August 16, 2012 6:02 AM

Yoink! Thanks Bruce, I was putting off buying this due to cost and shipping – this helps! Hopefully customs/duties doesn’t ding me badly on the difference…ugh!

Martino • August 16, 2012 6:06 AM

Dangit! What WAS I thinking!? I could have gotten work to buy it all along…ugh!

Stupid stupid stupid!

LOL

Kevin Kealy • August 16, 2012 1:17 PM

Bruce

I purchased the ebook when it was first released, and purchased the signed one for my bookshelf. I will gladly review on the Tweetie for you. I’ve already recommended it to my team, too.

Thank you for the signature and low price, too!

Kevin

Moderator • August 16, 2012 1:44 PM

If you didn’t put anything in the “note to seller” field, Bruce will just sign it without any personalization. But you can e-mail him to let him know who you’d like it signed to. Be sure to include the e-mail address you used when ordering, or just forward your PayPal receipt. You have a couple of days to do this before he starts signing all the books.

x942 • August 18, 2012 12:43 AM

Thanks for the awesome work! I bought the book (after wanting it for some time). I am more than happy to pay full price too and help out someone who has contributed so much to the security field. Thanks again! I look forward to the book!

Ruby • August 22, 2012 8:37 AM

Ouch! When I was away on vacation for a week, I missed a great opportunity! I will eventually get to buying it though. 🙂

Sanjy • November 25, 2012 2:28 AM

Good to know about the offers (discount) on your book. However, for Indians, it is really costly.

Anyway book has to be read !

Wael • August 4, 2019 8:43 PM

@Bruce,

Don’t you know you’re always supposed to change doors when given the opportunity.

I’ve fired that neuron before, on one Rare Octopus Squid Video from Hawaii. One could rig a game where “changing the door” would be poor choice. Therefore the above should say:

Don’t you know you’re oftentimes supposed to change doors when given the opportunity.

Rules of the game and initial conditions are a factor, needless to say!

Clive Robinson • August 5, 2019 4:14 AM

@ Wael,

I was going to ask “Are you trying to get Bruce’s Goat?” because you are eleven days early for the seventh anniversary of his comment 😉

Then I noticed you had only given the page address in your link, not your comment address…

That’s a very long page of comments, and you’ld have to know to search for “goat” to find it…

So you are only after the goat of those who don’t know 😉

Speaking of which I told a true story about knowing and not knowing on that page,

https://www.schneier.com/blog/archives/2015/12/friday_squid_bl_505.html#c6713386

Along with a little poem of advice 😉

Wael • August 5, 2019 8:05 AM

@Clive Robinson,

I was on a 5+ hour flight recently and a coincidence happened that made me thing of Monty Hall, and “goats”. Long story, short:

I chose my seat late, so I got stuck with a middle seat. I sat in my middle spot and two passengers, one on my right, and another on my left we’re seated. I thought it would be great if one of them left, on a fully booked, oversold flight. Then I thought no chance.

A few seconds later, two people swapped seats because they wanted their family to sit together. The guy on my left (window seat) swapped seats with some grouch. I thought this is going to be a fun trip.

The plane left the gate and waited in queue to takeoff, but all of a sudden, that grouch went to the washroom and tossed his cookies. A few minutes later, the flight attendant had a word with him, then the captain took the plane back to the gate and they escorted that person out of the plane. Then the captain explained that this guy was intoxicated and legally they can’t fly him. Anyway, I moved to his seat, the middle seat was empty. I was happy. Then thought about the probability of such sequence of events:

1- Probability that two people swap seats, one being next to me on a 168 seat plane (take seat class into consideration)

2- Probability that the guy next to me will be forced to leave the plane

Was doing a mental calculation, then thought of this Squid’s comments. Swap seats vs. swap doors… but at the end, I told myself: ain’t no coincidence, dawg! It was meant to happen. Then another thought came to mind: why are you so happy? Maybe the plane is meant to crash, and this guy’s life was saved? Hmm… that’s a possibility. I’ll write about it if we land safely. Then read the old thread of Monty Hall.

eleven days early for the seventh anniversary of his comment 😉

Yes! I knew it’s a 7-year old thread but didn’t realize it’s 11 days short of the 7-year anniversary until I posted it. Should have waited a few more days 🙁

Then I noticed you had only given the page address in your link, not your comment address…

That was deliberate.

I told a true story about knowing and not knowing […] Along with a little poem of advice 😉

I’ll queue it for later. You know… poetry and me are kinda fond of each other 😉

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