Comments on: Hardcover vs. Trade Paper Editions

By: “Think iTunes for books” « Charlottesville Words

“Think iTunes for books” « Charlottesville Words — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 20:29:39 +0000

[...] do you think about ebooks and ebook readers? Like so many people (see comments here, for starters), I have an attachment to books as objects. But I suppose I could get used to ebooks, [...]

By: Extra P.

Extra P. — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 16:07:53 +0000

And I know that if the power’s out or I’m stuck in a doctor’s waiting room, I can always turn to my trusty book.

By: prospectus

prospectus — Fri, 07 Sep 2007 06:46:23 +0000

I remember an essay by George Orwell written in the 1940s, I think – he made the point that books aren’t as expensive as people often make out, when you compare them with other forms of entertainment and recreation. Alongside cinema tickets, cigarettes or a night on the beer, books are quite cheap – and last a lot longer!

By: Cliff Garstang

Cliff Garstang — Thu, 06 Sep 2007 22:01:05 +0000

Other than food, the only things I buy are books. The price is a concern, of course, and so is space (although I’ve run out of space, so there isn’t room on the shelves for a paperback anyway), but I still feel more of a connection with hardcover books and I do feel that I’m supporting writers by buying them.

By: prospectus

prospectus — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 22:56:35 +0000

Oddly enough, I was just talking about this the other day! http://prospectus.wordpress.com/2007/09/02/ones-you-might-have-missed/

By: Catherine

Catherine — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:20:10 +0000

I like trades best for actual reading ’cause they carry lighter and are much easier to read in the bathtub. I buy hardcovers only when they’re the only available option. I do tend to buy older, pre-dust-jacket, hardcovers at thrift shops and sales for the style rather than the content.

By: Jennifer

Jennifer — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 14:02:13 +0000

The vast majority of the books I read come from the library. When I do receive a book as a gift or buy one, I prefer paperback so that it takes up less space.

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 11:23:48 +0000

I have many hardcover editions that I treasure, but I’m becoming more conscious about how much I spend on books and how much more “stuff” I want to bring into my house. I’m not hanging on to books the way I used to.

By: Extra P.

Extra P. — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 02:02:46 +0000

I certainly like the trades. The only time in recent memory that I have ponied up for a hardback is if the book is keenly anticipated work from a well-known writer, or if I want to support a friend who has been published.

By: Brian L. Belen

Brian L. Belen — Wed, 05 Sep 2007 01:03:27 +0000

I used not to care. Then at some point I undertook a concerted effort to get paperback copies of books for precisely the reasons you mentioned and because they're so much easier to read holding them in one hand while lying in bed. However, when I look at my bookshelf, I can't help but wish that all of my books were hardbound: ultimately, they look so much more elegant, especially in large numbers.