I was talking to my sister about this subject. Her husband has been reading a series of books. The next book in the series has yet to be released in paperback. He really wants to read the next book but doesn’t like hardbacks. He says they’re too heavy, not easily portable.
Here’s a picture of the book I’m reading (Dracula by Bram Stoker). I absolutely loved the cover when I purchased it, but it was only available in paperback. It’s so prettylicious! Don’t you think? But I haven’t even read a third of the book and pages are already falling out. That totally bugs me.
As I talked with my sister, we decided we like hardback books the most. I take a book with me everywhere to sneak in some reading whenever I can. Without the hardcover it could get really banged up. Plus, they’re less susceptible to pages falling out. Yes, a con to the hardback is it’s heavier. But I’m not too concerned with that issue.
Plus, typically books are released in hardback first, then a year or so later they come out in paperback. I don’t like to wait for a book to come out in paperback. I’m greedy—want it NOW! And I’m sort of OCD about books in a series either being all hardback or all paperback. They look more copasetic as they rest on my bookshelf.
It’s okay to like paperbacks. It’s perfectly fine to like hardbacks or both for that matter. To each their own!
So, are you a paperbacker or a hardbacker? Maybe you’re not partial to either. Possibly, you have a Kindle. What do you like about your preference? Or do you just play Paper, Rocks, Scissors with a bookstore employee to decide which to buy?
Hey, I brought the title into the post. I’m supercool! Uh, not really, though!
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PS: Don't forget to enter to win one of these books, Imaginary Girls or Hereafter, on my blog. Follow this link to enter. You have until Thursday afternoon. Winners will be announced on my Friday blog post!
All other things being equal, I go with hardbacks. They look better and last longer. Unless it's a book I'm expecting to punish, like the ones I take backpacking, where they might get wet, will definitely get dirty and mangled.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Rob, when I go backpacking I always take a particular book with me (you can probably guess which one) and it is the small army version. But I put it in a ziplock bag. I agree, hardbacks look better! Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteI prefer paperbacks. They are less expensive, for one. But also, I prefer lightweight books that I can stuff in my bag or in my coat pocket. I like to read on the train, and I usually can't get a seat, so I need a smaller book I can hold with 1 hand on a shaky train.
ReplyDeletePhil - That makes sense. My bro-in-law takes public transportation too so it is easier for him. The less expensive part is a perk too. I'm just a hardback lover. haha Thanks for the comment!
ReplyDeleteI'm really rough on paperbacks, so if I can find it in hardcover I'll buy it. It might just be the bookstores I go to, but sometimes they only have certain books in paperback (including new releases). It annoys me.
ReplyDeleteI am very rough on my paperbacks! Many times they have fallen in the bath water, lol!!
ReplyDeleteWell, I try to buy both when I can. One to read and the other to hopefully get an author's autograph! :)
I am always happy to buy either paperback or hardback. I'm easy that way.
Hugs!
Great post:) I love the Kindle. The books are inexpensive and I travel everywhere. And move a lot. So while I do love my library, I don't love packing it and moving it everywhere we have to move for work. I've lived remotely too, so downloading is so much easier than hauling an hour to town to go to the bookstore. But, of course I had to do that for groceries, so... There is nothing that can replace a fine book though. But honestly, I'm reading more books on the Kindle because it is so portable and the books are so inexpensive.
ReplyDeleteRoxanne - Glad to have you join my blog! Yep, I understand being rough on books. Even just having it in my bag makes for some roughness. My Mary Poppins'esque bag is an endless pit of stuff. They get banged up. Harbacks are protected better in all the rubble. haha
ReplyDeleteRiver - Love how you buy two copies. I wish I had enough $ to buy both hard and paperbacks for the autograph purpose. You must be made of dough! haha
Laura - Glad to have you here! I've debated a Kindle, however, I just can't get away from the feel and smell of a book in my hands. I can understand though with living remotely it would be difficult to always go to the bookstore. And buying them online would be just as hard with shipping. Maybe one day I'll crack and get a Kindle. Who knows? If I met authors, they'd have to sign my Kindle. haha
Thanks for the comments, my dears! I love comments! It's fun to read and respond to!
If it weren't for the price, I would love hardbacks more. They are more durable, they look nicer on my shelves (I remove the jackets)... more scholastic, I think (sounds silly, I know, but I don't really care!).
ReplyDeletePaperbacks are cheaper, though, and especially if the book I'm looking at has been off the best-seller list for several years, it's likely to ONLY be available in paperback.
Since I'm operating on a law school budget, though, it's library books for me, and I get no say in what they're bound in :)
I like the smallness of paperbacks but if it is a series I want to collect and keep I must have hardback all the way. Like you said it makes for a prettier display on my bookshelf. But there are ways to make paperbacks look good as well like sticking a photo by Mr. King in front of the books.
ReplyDelete--Liz
Gina - Yeah, I'm sort of a cumplusive book buyer. It gets expensive to buy hardbacks all the time. haha I'm a member of Borders Rewards so I get coupons which makes the prices better. What would I do without that? I'd be poor! haha Law School! That's awesome. I'm in awe of you. Bowing in your excellence.
ReplyDeleteLizers - I love that you have one of my dad's photographs. It is a pretty one for sure. I think that's the one he took while we were in Korea. Glad you still like it. Funny that you'd put it in front of your books! He is very talented! I love my pops!
Thanks for the comments! Mwah!