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Ranting and Raving About Books > Paperbacks or Hardbacks?

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message 1: by Olivia (new)

Olivia McCloskey (brewingupbooks) | 2470 comments Mod
Most bookaholics have a preference regarding paperbacks vs. hardbacks. I, for one, prefer paperbacks because they're lighter and more portable. Any hardbacks that I do own typically belong to a series boxed set. When it comes to series, I'm very anal about having all of the books of a series in either paperback or hardback. It bothers me to no end when I have a combination of paperbacks and hardbacks in the same series. What about everyone else?


message 2: by Sam (new)

Sam (sam222) I prefer hardbacks, I like the weight they have in my hands but sadly I don't have many because of their price. The ones I have were ether gifts or bargain. I have 15 hardbacks and I've payed full price for one. The rest were free from a book site, given to me, or bought at goodwill for .50 or 1.50.

As for the matching series, I like them to match but if they don't it dosen't bother me that much, I don't really have the money to be picky about it.


message 3: by Mpiggy (new)

Mpiggy I like hardbacks a lot too. They don't get ruined so easily as paperbacks, like if you let your friend borrow your paperback book... that was a mistake. I'm not doing that anymore. But one thing I do like about paperbacks is how after you read it, it looks read; with the creases in the spines. And like Olivia, I like that portability of paperbacks for vacations and stuff like that.
Having all the books in the series to be either paperback or hardback, I like to have them all match, but like Sam, if I don't get all matching books, it's fine. They all hide in a cupboard after I read them anyway.


Jessica (Goldenfurpro) (goldenfurproductions) | 86 comments I don't mind either way.I tend to buy whichever version is available. This mostly comes from the fact that a majority of the books that I buy are from the used bookstore, so I don't really get an option.


message 5: by Kathy (new)

Kathy | 905 comments I prefer hardback books, just because I think they look nicer (unless of course the paperback has a prettier cover). However, I usually purchase paperbacks over hardbacks because they are less expensive.


message 6: by Jan (new)

Jan | 19 comments I prefer paperback books. Hardcovers are too nice to be toted around to the beach or coffee shop. Plus I have a bad habit of folding the corner of the book to mark my page. I don't feel so bad about doing that to an inexpensive paperback.


message 7: by Kaitlin (new)

Kaitlin Personally I like hard cover books a lot better than paperbacks. Hardcovers for one thing look a lot nicer on the bookshelf and make a series look more full. Plus I like the feeling of holding the book in my hands as I read it.


message 8: by [deleted user] (new)

I don't mind though prefer hardbacks when they are on the shelf.
I get the series thing though. Mine have to be matching. To drives me crazy when I've bought nearly a whole series with matching covers and then they change them! (Sookie Stackhouse series anyone?)
I also dislike film/tv show covers.


message 9: by [deleted user] (new)

As long as it's a book, I couldn't care less on what type it is.


message 10: by Olivia (new)

Olivia McCloskey (brewingupbooks) | 2470 comments Mod
Rose wrote: "I don't mind though prefer hardbacks when they are on the shelf.
I get the series thing though. Mine have to be matching. To drives me crazy when I've bought nearly a whole series with matching co..."


I'm the same way about the film and tv show covers - I much prefer the original covers. The most recent example I can think of is The Great Gatsby. I'm also not a huge fan of the new Harry Potter box set with the completely redone covers. Luckily, I recently purchased the box set with the traditional covers.


message 11: by [deleted user] (new)

Ugh yes I know. It really annoys me. I'm like the books sold fine before you changed the cover! I've got all the original covers too, though some of mine are falling apart a bit now. I lent one to a friend for her holiday, the glue binding the pages together melted!
Hope I can find an original copy of it! It annoys me when they change the size of the book as well, ruins the look of my shelf!
My book shelves are really OCD organised, I'm talking genre separated and filed alphabetically, then author surname alphabetically within that, and then by published date within that!


message 12: by Olivia (new)

Olivia McCloskey (brewingupbooks) | 2470 comments Mod
I've tried on several occasions to organize my bookshelf alphabetically. Every attempt has failed miserably and my bookshelves remained a jumbled mess.


message 13: by [deleted user] (new)

I have so many books that they all don't fit on to my bookshelves so some live in boxes


message 14: by Kennedy (new)

Kennedy | 236 comments i prefer hardbacks because i hate reading a new looking paperback and after i get done with it it has cracks in it everywhere, but i cant be picky because most of my books have been given to me or bought from Mckays cheaply


message 15: by Wes (new)

Wes Smith (weszor) | 1 comments Hardbacks until I look at my bank account. Then, it becomes "whatever's free on Amazon" Kindle books.


message 16: by Olivia (new)

Olivia McCloskey (brewingupbooks) | 2470 comments Mod
The hardbacks really do add up quickly, which really takes a toll on my already small wallet. It really bothers me that books are typically only published in hardback for 4-5 months, until they come out in paperback. For me at least, it poses a problem for series. I like my series to be either all hardback or all paperback. Then again, I don't want to wait until the most recent publication comes out in paperback. So most of my series are a jumbled mess or hardbacks and paperbacks.


message 17: by Padgett (new)

Padgett Lively I find there is very little of the written word worthy of killing a tree -maybe Shakespeare. So, I have my first gen kindle. Took a little getting used to, but now I take it everywhere. Still can't get used to reading on a smartphone though.


message 18: by [deleted user] (new)

Not all that picky about my books hardbacks, paperbacks, e-reader so long as it's the written word and I can read it then I'm happy


Maggie the Muskoka Library Mouse (mcurry1990) I usually prefer hardcovers, but will read paperbacks and eBooks too. I find paperbacks great for day trips, and eBooks for extended stays.


message 20: by [deleted user] (new)

I've start to develop carpal tunnel in my wrist so some of the hardback books are kinda heavy for me to hold:(


message 21: by Ethan (new)

Ethan Lewis | 25 comments I don't really have a preference between paperbacks and hardbacks, but I like ebooks better purely for the convenience of them. For me, an ereader is so much easier to carry around than a physical book, and it also enables you to readily buy books on the go.


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