Jan 12, 2023 - Things to Do

Metro Phoenix libraries don't have a "Spare" copy of Prince Harry's book

Jessica Boehm

A stack of "Spare" books. — "Spare" on display at a bookstore in central London. Photo: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images

If you're hoping to borrow a copy of Prince Harry's new memoir from a Valley library — good luck!

State of play: The Duke of Sussex released his hotly anticipated tell-all, "Spare," on Tuesday and libraries across the Valley did not have enough books to keep up with the demand.

By the numbers: The Phoenix library system has 49 copies, with a current waitlist over 300.

Mesa has 80 holds on the book but only 25 copies to lend.
In Glendale, there are 53 people waiting on the library's eight copies.
Almost 150 people are waiting on Scottsdale's seven copies.
The Greater Phoenix Digital Library shows a wait time of "at least six months," with more about 1,400 people waiting for 24 ebooks.

The big picture: Prince Harry's book climbed to the top spot on Amazon and Barnes & Noble in the U.S. and Britain following a "press frenzy" prompted by juicy leaks and pre-publication interviews, Axios' Hope King writes.

Random House is said to be printing 2.5 million hardcover copies for North America alone.

The bottom line: If you simply cannot wait to read the book, you're probably gonna have to buy it.

A hardcover copy is available on Amazon for $22, or $18 on Kindle.

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Metro Phoenix libraries don't have a "Spare" copy of Prince Harry's book

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