Book Haven discussion

Do you prefer certain book formats over others? I do.

I used to favor hardcover books but I met a friend about 3 years ago who swayed me toward her favorite, trade paperbacks. Now I mostly get hardbacks of favorite books and favorite authors. I also find myself liking certain authors and genres in specific formats. I like Stephen King, Terry Pratchett and general horror in mass market paperbacks.

Does anyone else do this?

I prefer romance in paperback and fantasy in hardcover for some reason, LOL. Probably because when I'm reading romance, I prefer a closer read and a more portable book whereas I like bulky fantasy novels. I've read them since I was a kid, and they usually have great covers. :) I don't really like trade. They're not as neat to shelve, especially if they're thin or really large.

I think I like all books, regardless of format. Big or small, they are all wonderful.

I do like the convenience of the mass market paperback, perfectly sized to shove in a purse, and I adore my Kindle ... books as data has a way to go before it's fully accepted. though.

I'll take it all as long as it's in a bound book format. I love hardbacks but they cost a lot more then the cheap $7-8 paperbacks usually. Trade paperbacks don't look as nice but a book is a book to me and I feel that neglecting it because it's a mass market book is wrong. lol However that being said I'm not a saint and I do neglect the funny shaped books that are really tall length wise and shorter then normal width wise, something about those drive me nuts.

Yeah, I mean, if I'm really interested in a book, I'll read it regardless, but it helps if it's not huge or something, LOL.

Of course, I'll ready any format but it's just that some books in certain formats are more comfortable for me. Dunno. I won't do Kindle, ever. There's nothing like the smell and the feel of a book in your hands.

Jaimie wrote: "Of course, I'll ready any format but it's just that some books in certain formats are more comfortable for me. Dunno. I won't do Kindle, ever. There's nothing like the smell and the feel of a book ..."

Kindles have a very book-like feel to them. One of the design initiatives was to have the device "disappear" to the reader. It truly does.

Imagine having to read from a copy of the Complete Works of Shakespeare ... My college copy weighed at least 8 pounds, and that was with really thin paper.

On the Kindle, because it's data, it weighs only a few ounces.

As far as the smell ... maybe Yankee Candle will come out with a new flavor?

Mildly related aside: I've always wondered why no one makes a woodsmoke flavored air freshener ... everybody I know says they love it, are they all lying??

I know that e-reader technology has progressed a long way. Without e-ink, I wouldn't have even considered purchasing my Sony Reader. Even still, it just doesn't have the look and feel of a real book to me, so in that respect, I have to agree with Jaimie. I only use my Sony Reader when I can't find the book I want in any other format or it's a free e-book. I can certainly understand the convenience for college students who are able to load their textbooks on it and not lug all that weight around, but for pleasure reading, I don't think that any digital device will ever be able to give me quite the same experience as a paper book.

As to the initial topic of the thread, other than not being overly fond of e-books, I'm not too picky about format. Hardcover, trade-size or regular paperback are all the same to me as long as they don't have microscopic print and aren't too heavy to manage. Oh, and I don't like audio books. I just can't get into the story the way I can when I'm reading it myself.

I don't want it to seem like I'm putting down those who like e-readers. I'm not. In fact, I think they should start using them in schools. There is a middle-school at the end of my street and I see these kids hauling heavy backpacks that are bigger than them. Plus, schools always complain that their textbooks are outdated. I think e-readers would be great. They're small and they can be updated.

They're just not for me. And I feel if I start using an e-reader I'd have to start carrying a towel around with me everywhere.

Stormhawk, I'd soooo buy book-smell Yankee Candles! That's genius!

Jaimie wrote: "...And I feel if I start using an e-reader I'd have to start carrying a towel around with me everywhere..."

I have occasionally wished that one of the screensavers on the Kindle displayed the words "Don't Panic" in large, friendly letters.

(One of the Kindle features gives you immediate access to Wikipedia for searches, so it is very much the HHGTTG.)

Hmmmm...I like to get my romance novels in paperback. Otherwise, if it is one of the authors that I collect, I want it in Hardcover. I won't buy hardcover unless I know that I love the author. :)

LOL! Stormhawk, I was hoping you'd get the towel reference!

Jaimie wrote: "LOL! Stormhawk, I was hoping you'd get the towel reference!"

It was one of the first books I downloaded to my Kindle!!

stormhawk wrote: "Jaimie wrote: "LOL! Stormhawk, I was hoping you'd get the towel reference!"

It was one of the first books I downloaded to my Kindle!!

"

It should come standard. LOL!

I like anything that I can actually hold and turn the page like hardcover and paperbacks. I don't really like e-books. I do have a kindle with books on them but I only buy books that are only ebooks and that are not coming out in paperback that I want to read. Such as novellas for some series I read. The novellas all come out in e-book format and almost never in print

I enjoy both print and Kindle books. I write for both, so that's a no-brainer for me. :)

B-format paperback - As are too small usually and too tiny font and too tight spacing despite the convenient size, and Cs are too big, but when no other format is available Cs arent all that bad

Bs provide the golden thread with good font size, spacing and whole layout, while being not too hard to carry

I like how Vintage format their books. I also love books with the uneven page sides, I do not know how to call it, the ones where each page seemed to be unevenly cut. I also love books with paintings or artworks as cover. And I love books in double languages.

Razmatus wrote: "B-format paperback - As are too small usually and too tiny font and too tight spacing despite the convenient size, and Cs are too big, but when no other format is available Cs arent all that bad

B..."

I really like the formatting of malazan books I got from Bantam UK... the weird thing is... the format is A-sized paperback, so it is smaller... but the font and spacing is almost like at B-format... which makes for a really comfy and convenient reading :P

besides they got awesome covers!

I prefer paperbacks for look and holding for reading.

Mirvan wrote: "I like how Vintage format their books. I also love books with the uneven page sides, I do not know how to call it, the ones where each page seemed to be unevenly cut. I also love books with paintin..."

I think that's called "deckle edge."

And I like the side-by-side language books as well. I have a volume of Rilke's poetry in German and English. However, I do get caught up in "arguments" with the translator sometimes.

stormhawk wrote: "Mirvan wrote: "I like how Vintage format their books. I also love books with the uneven page sides, I do not know how to call it, the ones where each page seemed to be unevenly cut. I also love bo..."

lol... I like, however, to check the english "mutations" (I dont use the word translations or versions on purpose) of books about slovakia... I mean, first off, they are horrible in itself - slovaks seem to cram too much information into the texts sometimes, as if the one reading it wanted to know everything at once... but lets skip that little detail... the translations of these are, it seems, mostly done by total amateurs and that is an understatement... it often sounds like reading slovak in english words, with most awkward words used in some places - as if the person typed the first word they saw in dictionary without giving any glance to context and whatever other translating thingies :D

and, well... lets get back to topic - I am really thrilled about possibilities of the new book format - the flipback... I think this format could be awesome, if not perfect, for a lot of historical fiction, scifi and fantasy... I can even imagine LOTR parts released in flipbacks... wouldnt that be funny :)?

I had no idea what a flipback was, so I looked it up. Seems interesting, but looks uncomfortable to read and hold, don't think people will adapt easily to the format. Hey, sure I can be wrong, But I think the turning pages right to left is pretty ingrained behavior and will be hard to change.

Not saying I won't try one, though ... the list of upcoming books included an interesting looking Jasper Fforde ... well, I may have to rethink that. Most of the ones that I saw on amazon were running upwards of $20, more expensive that regular hardbacks.

stormhawk wrote: "I had no idea what a flipback was, so I looked it up. Seems interesting, but looks uncomfortable to read and hold, don't think people will adapt easily to the format. Hey, sure I can be wrong, But ..."

well I guess it can be ok to read when travelling... as for price, the two Jane Austen books we got in bookstore are for around 10 € :P

that format has perspective though - the spine for example doesnt break when you open it wide

I prefer trade paperbacks. My leanings are toward 19th century history and 20th century true crime so, trade paperbacks are common.

All my books are paperback apart from Twilight - Breaking Dawn which wasnt available in paperback when it first came out. I don't know what it is about paperback but i just prefer it, it seems more tactile and personal.

I am pretty much switched over to Kindle at this point, but still have a fondness for hardbacks. I loved the convenience of the traditional (not trade) paperback size though. But they changed the type size and thickness of paper over the years, and now paperbacks are so darn thick ... if you've ever seen any of the 1960s Signet,Dell or Pocket Books books (60 cent cover price, most of them, IIRC) You'll understand what I mean. They would actually fit in a pocket, back in the day.

Wow, if there were an ereader in paperback size, that would be very, very cool. Oh, I guess there is. It's called the Samsung Galaxy note!

As singularity approaches, the right to e-book will be upheld by machines...There may still be a distinction in the future between novels written by humans versus machines. But which one will be more successful?
And with the weather becoming weird everywhere, is printing books still cool? If it is still preferred by many (myself undecided) somewhat retro and more intimate, for how long will it be so? Like in the the case of the office, will we be asked each time when buying a hard cover or paper back to: "Please consider the environment before printing" ?

Generally I prefer my books to be hardcovers. I find them much easier to keep pristine. When I am carrying a book with me somewhere though, I take my Kobo or a paperback. It's quite a bit lighter, and I hardly notice it in my bag. A hardcover is kind of bulky for toting along to the mall.