Advance Readers Copy - Not for sale ... what does that mean?

My friend who works at Borders brings me books all the time. I got one from him today, and on the cover it says 'Advance Readers Copy - Not For Sale'. What does that mean?Advance Readers Copy - Not for sale ... what does that mean?
Advance Reader Copies are given out by the publishers to buyers at bookstores so they can read the book and decide whether or not to stock it. Usually they are run up quickly - before final edits and galley checks and are full of errors, but they give you an idea of what the book will be about. They are not allowed to be sold because they would be giving away secrets about new books before their release date. Pax = CAdvance Readers Copy - Not for sale ... what does that mean?
These are copies handed out to reviewers who read them and then write reviews about the books before they are available to the general public. The are supposed to be destroyed after they've served their purpose, lest someone unethical try to sell them. They are not fully edited and may still contain errors.





The author does not receive payment for these advanced copies so selling them is like a slap in the author's face, or stealing from them.