How would we fare with UPS shipping?
The news is good. Your book comes packed in a rigid cardboard box 12″ x 9″ x 3.5″ which would be a spacious ride for a digest-sized hardback if it were not for the copious quantity of bubble wrap surrounding your plastic wrapped book:
The box is packed tight with padding; there’s no way the content is going to move even a quarter-inch during transit, and–short of someone dropping a refrigerator on it from 20ft–it is unlikely to be damaged :
Buried deep down inside all that bubble wrap you’ll find a water-tight plastic bag containing the main event:
Finally, you’ll come face to face with your book; and have enough plastic lying about to gift wrap a giraffe.
In all, UPS shipping looks to be a very sound option in terms of protection.