FAQs: Verso Book Club

An important note for our US Comrade and Subscriber members: due to an unprecedented increase in the cost of UPS, we've switched our default shipping method to USPS Media Mail. Please see our shipping FAQs for instructions on tracking your Book Club orders.
 

• What is the Verso Book Club and how does it work?

  • How does Verso Reader work?

  • How does Verso Subscriber work?

  • How does Verso Comrade work?

  • How much does it cost?

  • How do I use my 50% discount on the Verso website?

  • Do I get anything else?  
     

• Payment and shipping

  • When and how will I be charged?

  • When do I get my ebooks? (all members)

  • When will my print books be shipped? (Subscribers and Comrades) 

  • How are my print books shipped and how long does it take?
     

• Managing your membership

  • How do I choose my monthly print book?

  • How do I change my Book Club shipping address?

  • Why can’t I change my Book Club shipping address to another country?

  • How do I change my billing information?

  • Can I upgrade or downgrade my Book Club membership?

  • Can I pause or suspend my Book Club membership?

  • How do I cancel my Book Club membership?
     

• Other questions

What is the Verso Book Club and how does it work?

Join the Verso Book Club and get every new ebook that we publish, with options for receiving one or more print copies every month, as well as 50% off the list price of everything on our website. You can choose between three membership options, each of which builds on the tier below:

• Verso Readers receive every new ebook that we publish each month.

• Verso Subscribers receive every new ebook that we publish, plus one new print book published each month(from a choice of two). 

• Verso Comrades receive every new ebook we publish, one new print book (from a choice of two), plus additional Comrade selections—usually a new work of politics or theory, and sometimes we’ll throw in a classic title from Verso’s backlist.

How does Verso Reader work?

Verso Readers will automatically receive

• Every new ebook we publish each month

• 50% off the list price of everything on our website (including both print and ebooks)

More information for Verso Readers:

• As soon as you sign up we will place an order for the current month's ebooks. We’ll send you an email letting you know what’s included in this order shortly after you join. 

• On the 1st of each month, your new ebooks will automatically appear in your Verso library. You will receive an order confirmation by email to let you know what you’re getting. 

• On the 15th of each month, we’ll email you to let you know what to expect next month.

• On the 21st of each month we’ll run your payment for the coming month. If there’s a problem with your payment, we’ll let you know and you can update your payment method.

• You will be able to download your ebooks onto any reading device (mobi for Kindle and epub for everything else). These ebooks are yours forever—you can download from your Verso library at any time, even if you choose to unsubscribe.  

• For as long as you keep your subscription current, you will also be able to buy anything else on the Verso website with a special Book Club discount of 50% off. This discount will be applied automatically to anything you buy as long as you’re logged in.  

How does Verso Subscriber work?

Verso Subscribers will automatically receive

• Every new ebook we publish each month

• One Book Club print selection each month (from a choice of two) to receive in the mail

• 50% off the list price of everything on our website (including both print and ebooks)

More information for Verso Subscribers:

• As soon as you sign up we will place an order for the current month's print and ebooks. Your first month includes both of the Book Club print selections, so you don’t need to worry about making a choice. We’ll send you an email letting you know what’s included in this order shortly after you join  (within a day or so). 

• On the 1st of each month, we will place a new order for your Book Club selection and all of your new ebooks. Your new ebooks will automatically appear in your Verso library. You will receive an order confirmation by email to let you know what you’re getting. 

• We will mail your print book as soon as it is released. You will receive a shipping confirmation email as soon as your books leave our warehouse.

• On the 15th of each month, we’ll email you to let you know what to expect in the next Book Club order. Note: you have until the last day of the month to make your book choice. 

• On the 21st of each month we’ll run your payment for the coming month. If there’s a problem with your payment, we’ll let you know and you can update your payment method.

• You will be able to download your ebooks onto any reading device (mobi for Kindle and epub for everything else). These ebooks are yours forever—you can download from your Verso library at any time, even if you choose to unsubscribe.  

• For as long as you keep your subscription current, you will also be able to buy anything else on the Verso website with a special Book Club discount of 50% off. This discount will be applied automatically to anything you buy as long as you’re logged in.  

How does Verso Comrade work? 

Verso Comrades will automatically receive

• Every new ebook we publish each month

• One Book Club print selection each month (from a choice of two) to receive in the mail

• A second new work of theory or politics each month, and we’ll periodically add in a classic title from our backlist

• 50% off the list price of everything on our website (including both print and ebooks)

More information for Verso Comrades:

• On the 1st of each month, we will place a new order for your Book Club selection and all of your new ebooks. Your new ebooks will automatically appear in your Verso library. You will receive an order confirmation by email to let you know what you’re getting. 

• We will mail your print books as soon as they are released. You will receive a shipping confirmation email as soon as your books leave our warehouse.

• On the 15th of each month, we’ll email you to let you know what to expect in the next Book Club order. Note: you have until the last day of the month to make your book choice. 

• On the 21st of each month we’ll run your payment for the coming month. If there’s a problem with your payment, we’ll let you know and you can update your payment method.

• You will be able to download your ebooks onto any reading device (mobi for Kindle and epub for everything else). These ebooks are yours forever—you can download from your Verso library at any time, even if you choose to unsubscribe.

How much does it cost?

United States

• Reader: $10 per month

• Subscriber: $20 per month

• Comrade: $40 per month

Canada

• Reader: $10 per month

• Subscriber: $30 per month ($20 + $10 postage)

• Comrade: $50 per month ($40 + $10 postage

UK

• Reader: £8 per month

• Subscriber: £15 per month

• Comrade: £30 per month

Europe and Rest of World

• Reader: £8 per month

• Subscriber: £25 per month (£15 + £10 postage)

• Comrade: £40 per month (£30 + £10 postage

Please see below for details on international shipping. Please note that Book Club orders sent to the EU may be subject to additional import charges levied by your local customs authority. For details, please see our separate note on Brexit. If you live outside the US, Canada, and the UK, please consider a Verso Reader digital subscription, which will be cheaper and more reliable.

How do I use my 50% discount on the Verso website?

As a Book Club member, you get a 50% discount on the list price of everything on our website. This discount will be applied automatically, so you will see it on each book page while you’re logged in. If you can’t see the discount, please make sure that you’re logged in and check that your Book Club membership is active. Please note that the discount is off the list price, and cannot be used in conjunction with any other discount or sale. 

Do I get anything else? 

Probably. We’re working on a few ideas for Book Club members: digital pamphlets and posters to accompany our book selections, special online events, conversations with our authors and editors, reading groups and discussions. Please share your suggestions at bookclub@versobooks.com.

 

Payment and Shipping

When and how will I be charged?

Once a month. The books you receive for the first month are free of charge, but we will charge you right away for next month’s subscription. Then, you will only be charged once every month, on the 21st, for the following month. If there’s a problem with your payment, we’ll let you know so that you can update your payment method, and we’ll run the payment again. If we’re not able to resolve a payment problem before the 31st of the month, then your membership will be automatically deactivated. If your membership is deactivated, you can rejoin the Book Club by purchasing a new subscription at any time. 

When do I get my ebooks? (all members)

As soon as you join the Verso Book Club, we will place an order for everything that is included this month. Your ebooks will be available to download on your Verso Library page as soon as this order is placed—usually within a few hours of your payment. You’ll never again be short of something to read. If you’re having trouble downloading your ebook, or getting it onto your reading device (or reading it on your computer), or if there is another problem with your ebook, then please read our ebook guide. 

When will my print books be shipped? (Subscribers and Comrades) 

If you joined as a Verso Subscriber or Comrade, we will place an order right away for the print books included in your Book Club order for the first month. You’ll also receive a shipping notification when they leave the warehouse and, where possible, a tracking number. If the books have already been released that month, your order should leave the warehouse in two or three days. If they are being released later in the month, we’ll notify you that a preorder has been placed—they will ship a day or two before the publication date. You will receive a shipping notification by email as soon as each book leaves our warehouse. 

How are my print books shipped and how long does it take?

For up-to-date estimates and additional shipping information, please see our shipping FAQs. 

US: Your book(s) will be sent by USPS Media Mail. You’ll receive a tracking number with your shipping notification(s), and your order should arrive within 6–8 days. 

UK: Your book(s) will either be sent by Royal Mail (second class, untracked) or Yodel (tracked), depending on weight of the shipment. Your order should arrive within 7–10 days. 

Canada: Your book(s) will be shipped by Canada Post. You’ll receive a tracking number with your shipping notification(s), and your order should arrive within 14–21 days. 

International: Books to EU and ‘Rest of World’ countries are sent by untracked second class airmail, so they cannot be tracked and we cannot guarantee the delivery date. Please allow up to 7 weeks for delivery to Western Europe, 8 weeks for delivery to Eastern Europe, and up to 11 weeks for shipping to all non-European destinations.

If you live outside the US, Canada, and the UK, please consider a Verso Reader digital subscription, which will be cheaper and more reliable. If your books take a while to arrive, please be patient: almost all of them show up eventually. If you receive the following month’s book and haven’t yet received the previous month, then let us know and we will try to send you a replacement. If you don’t receive any books for two or three months, then there is a problem with the mailing service—we can’t fix everything, and we recommend switching to a Verso Reader subscription. 

Managing your Membership

How do I choose my monthly print book?

You can select your print book for the coming month any time before the 1st of that month. On the 1st, your Book Club order will be submitted to our warehouse and you won't be able to make any changes to your order. 

• Log into your account and go to your Book Club page (My Account > Book Club). You can also access this page directly with this link: https://www.versobooks.com/subscriptions.

• At the top of this screen, you will see the two book choices for the coming month. The default selection is highlighted in yellow. 

• If you prefer the alternate selection, just click on the book image. This book should now be highlighted in yellow, indicating that this book will be included in your upcoming order. 

• If you have any issues, please get in touch with us as soon as possible at bookclub@versobooks.com. 

How do I change my Book Club shipping address?

You can upcdate your shipping address for the coming month any time before the 1st of that month. On the 1st, your Book Club order will be submitted to our warehouse and you won't be able to make any changes to your order. Any changes made to your shipping address after the 1st will only take effect at the start of the next month.

• Log into your account and go to your Book Club page (My Account > Book Club). You can also access this page directly with this link: https://www.versobooks.com/subscriptions.

• On the right-hand side of the page you will see the shipping address that we have on file for your Book Club membership.

• To change your address, click the link that says "Update shipping information." From here you can select from any of your saved addresses (those listed on your Addresses and Payments page), or enter new shipping details. 

• If you have any issues, please get in touch with us as soon as possible at bookclub@versobooks.com.

Why can’t I change my Book Club shipping address to another country?

Book Club Subscriber and Comrade pricing varies by country. If you can’t change the shipping address to what you need, please cancel your membership and purchase a new one (see below).

How do I change my billing information?

Log in to your account and go to your Book Club page: there is a link on the right-hand side just below the current payment method. You can select from any of your saved cards or PayPal accounts, or enter a new payment method. 

Can I upgrade or downgrade my Book Club membership?

Not yet. We’re working on a way to do this. In the meantime, you can simply cancel your current membership and then rejoin at a different tier. Please note that if you cancel your membership after your payment has been taken (from the 21st to the end of the month), your current membership will only expire at the end of the next month. If you want to change your membership level after this payment has been taken, you’ll just need to contact us by email before the end of the month at orders@versobooks.com (US and Canada customers) or orders@verso.co.uk (UK, Europe and Rest of World customers).

I need a break—can I pause or suspend my Book Club membership?

Not yet. For now, you can cancel your membership and purchase a new one when you’re ready to rejoin. 

How do I cancel my Book Club membership?

Log in to your account and go to your Book Club page: there is a “Cancel Subscription” button on the right-hand side (or scroll down on your phone). 

Please note that if you cancel your membership after your payment has been taken (after the 21st of the month), your membership will only expire at the end of next month. If you want to cancel your membership immediately, you’ll just need to contact us by email before the 31st so that we can deactivate your membership and refund your most recent payment. You can contact us at orders@versobooks.com (US and Canada customers) or orders@verso.co.uk (UK, Europe and Rest of World customers). 

Other Questions

Can I buy someone a gift subscription? 

Not yet. We’re working on it. 

I don’t like either of the Book Club choices—can I pick something else? 

Sorry, no. Give the book away to a friend, and you can buy something that you’d prefer with your 50% discount. Or crack the spine of Lefebvre’s Critique of Everyday Life. Tell us what we got wrong, and what we should have done, at bookclub@versobooks.com. 

I’ve already got a copy of one of the Verso Comrade selections this month—can I pick something else, or stop you from shipping it? 

No. Give it to a comrade who hasn’t read it, but should. We won’t add backlist titles each month, and we’ll try to pick something newly relevant when we do—but there will always be a risk of doubling up on something for comrades with an extensive library. The main Comrade selection each month will be a brand new title, with periodical additions of a backlist title, so this shouldn’t happen too often.

I pre-ordered a book and then received the same book from the Book Club—can I cancel my pre-order?

Maybe. If the pre-ordered book hasn’t shipped yet we may be able to cancel it. Let us know as soon as possible and we’ll do our best to amend your existing order. 

Will the authors get royalties? 

Always. We will pay royalties to our authors for all ebook downloads and all print books sold as part of a Book Club membership. Book Club sales will be itemized on all royalty statements. 

What about independent bookstores? 

We will support them. We are pledging 10% of print book revenue to support independent bookstores, in a similar way to Bookshop.org or Hive.co.uk (which we recommend using for all non-Verso books that you want to order). 

And the workers? 

Solidarity. Verso will publish on our website the workplace health and safety policies of all print shops and warehousesused to fulfil book club orders, whenever we can get hold of them. When and where possible, we will make donations to organization drives, strike funds, and other actions. If you know of a way that we can help, let us know at bookclub@versobooks.com. 

We have more general FAQs here.