BUT the fact that the game is so broken that you have to pawn something as valuable as a Holy Tome instead of selling it to a reputable book collector, wizened mage, or even donating it to a temple reminds me what's wrong with this picture.
Heh, game mechanics.
Holy Tomes can't be read, thus, they are not books.
Merchants have been mind-controlled to buy only items of the "type" they sell.
So Pawn Shops become rich at the detriment of the smaller, empty bookstores.
EDIT : Why did you remove your post's content? I didn't find it offensive. It was funny actually.