Depends on the book. Most books actually were never aimed at the every man, they were aimed at fans of the genre. You think Raymond Chandler ever tried to sell books to people that weren’t fans of pulp detective stories?
As for the prices while they have risen dollar for hour books are still the best entertainment value out there. Paperbacks cost about as much as a movie and take on average 5 times as long to read. In a time of $80 dollar concert tickets for stadium tours claiming $8 paperback are priced away from the “every man” is just silly.
Apples and oranges. Chandler — although a good writer — was genre. Grapes of Wrath, on the other hand, was pretty much general fiction aimed at “every man.” Today, the general fiction list of most publishers is very sophisticated and aimed at the educated urban reader. And yes, there are exceptions.
p.s.
Look at a book like Blood Meridian. A brilliant book written by a guy who will probably win the Nobel Prize one day. McCarthy has probably sold fewer books in his entire career than folks who paid to see Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle.