Virtues of hardback vs. paperback books

[Calizzy]

When reading a novel, do you prefer hardback or paperback? Does the length of the book play a factor? I usually prefer paperback and they are easier to hold. Hardback books are more cumbersome in my hand. But I am wanting to purchase The Count of Monte Cristo which is over 1000 pages and I'm wondering if hardback would be better.

[marbel]

For reading, I prefer paperback or e-reader as a huge chunky hardback is too cumbersome for me to actually read. If it's a book I want to have in my personal library forever, I buy the hardback and get it on kindle as well. Sometimes I just borrow my "reading copy" from the library. I'm sure that sounds silly and wasteful to some, but... that's how I do it.  

[HomeAgain]

Not a fair question. 😄

I like paperbacks for old friends.  They go with me in my backpack and get read at the beach or hotel room.

I like hardbacks for deep friends.  They are my 'cozy up in my armchair with a cup of tea and cookies' books. When I'm in that chair the family knows not to disturb me because I'm lost in another world.

[Pawz4me]

I vastly prefer e-books. My Kindle or phone are much easier on my arthritic hands than paperback or hardback. Plus being able to adjust the size and boldness of the font is easier on my aging eyes.

[Lady Florida.]

This wasn't part of the question but I read almost exclusively on my Kindle Paperwhite. It's especially good for chunky books because it's easy to hold regardless of book length.

There are a few times I'll read physical books and when I do I prefer paperback. If my library doesn't have an ebook copy and I don't want to buy the Kindle edition, I'll borrow the physical book. If I have a choice, I pick paperback. If I really want to read it and they only have hardback I'll borrow it. 

I usually find recipes online but if I want a recipe book I'll buy a physical copy. Gardening books and native plant books are also ones I'll buy. With both of those types, again my preference is paperback.

I hardly ever buy books anymore. I use my library for nearly all novels and nonfiction books about subjects (usually history) that interest me. I'll often borrow a gardening book or cookbook if my library has it before deciding if the book is worth owning.

[SKL]

I would normally say paperback, because they are cheaper, more convenient, and don't lack anything of what hardbacks hold.

However, at age 56 I sometimes have a difficult time reading the print, so reading a paperback novel is a lot harder than it should be.

I suppose the logical solution to that is to use readers, LOL.

Not that I ever buy hardbacks anyway.  I'm too cheap.

One thing I'll say ... I used to treasure books.  Books were the main thing I "collected."  But last year I threw away thousands of books that had been in my basement too long.  I would have been happier in the long run had I never held onto books unless I was 100% sure I was going to re-read them (which I usually don't do).

Libraries are great - we'll never run out of things to read as long as we have a public library.

[forty-two]

I used to prefer paperbacks because they were cheaper (can buy more) and smaller (fit more on shelves).  But in the past decade I've come to appreciate more of the aesthetics of books and I appreciate good paper and bindings and bigger type and white space a lot more now.  Also, hardbacks stay open on my lap or on the armrest, and paperbacks I have to hold open the whole time.  So for books I want to reread a lot, I go for hardback (or at least nice trade paperbacks), instead of the cheapest mass market paperback I can find.

I also make heavy use of my kindle, but mostly for library books or free ebooks.  I generally only straight up buy ebooks when it's a lot cheaper than a paper copy, although there are several beloved book series that we've picked up on kindle when they are on sale, even though we also own nice paper copies, just for the convenience of an e-option. 

[Spryte]

I prefer to read on a kindle, now. Easier to hold, easy to adjust the font, lightweight and portable, and I can even read in the dark.

If I’m going to buy a book, I usually choose softcover. But then I will be juggling reading glasses (sigh), and it’s not my preference, so I really prefer kindle.

I have been culling the thousands and thousands of physical books that we keep in the house, and it’s been strangely liberating. Generally, I’m a re-reader, so as I collect titles on kindle, I let the physical books go.

For the kids, we buy a mix of hard and softcover. They don’t prefer to read on devices.

We love the library, but alas, our entire county is bent on closing (well, “defunding”) all the libraries. They narrowly stayed open (with massive funding cuts) about three weeks ago, and are still on the chopping block. So I want to just remind everyone not to take your libraries for granted! 

 

[Dmmetler]

I like paperbacks or an e-reader for me just due to convienence and portability, but if I'm buying a book to keep, hardback all the way. For the library, I really like getting library weeded copies that are permabound, because they hold up so well-and also seem to come back, while paperbacks don't. 

[alysee]

I hate hardback books. They never feel right in my hands and I always hate the paper cover. I will wait for a book to go to paperback. 

[Calizzy]

I use the library a lot, but this book is for a book club I am in and we are going to take 4 months to go through this book so I will need it for a long time. 

I am surprised so many use ereaders. I never even thought of that! I have to say, I just can't do it. I have an aversion to screens and I am terrible at charging things.

[Calizzy]

It's funny that I've always thought of hardbacks are superior, but it turns out most people don't prefer holding them!

[wathe]

10 minutes ago, Calizzy said:

I use the library a lot, but this book is for a book club I am in and we are going to take 4 months to go through this book so I will need it for a long time. 

I am surprised so many use ereaders. I never even thought of that! I have to say, I just can't do it. I have an aversion to screens and I am terrible at charging things.

Have you tried an e-reader with e-ink?

I am also a screen hater, but e-readers feel different.  The screen isn't back-lit (unless you want it to be to read in the dark) and it feels more like real ink to the eyes than most screens do.

My e-reader also holds it's charge for about 2 weeks, so charging is infrequent.

[ktgrok]

3 hours ago, Pawz4me said:

I vastly prefer e-books. My Kindle or phone are much easier on my arthritic hands than paperback or hardback. Plus being able to adjust the size and boldness of the font is easier on my aging eyes.

Yup. I adjust font size as the day goes on...my eyes get more tired at night and I need bigger font. So nice not to need to find reading glasses when i want to read!

35 minutes ago, alysee said:

I hate hardback books. They never feel right in my hands and I always hate the paper cover. I will wait for a book to go to paperback. 

the dust covers are designed by a sadist, I'm convinced. I hate hard covers because I'm constantly worried I'm going to damage the dust cover, or lose it, or whatever and can't just enjoy the stinking book! Plus hard covers are too heavy for my hands. And you need two hands to hold them, instead of one. 

34 minutes ago, Calizzy said:

I use the library a lot, but this book is for a book club I am in and we are going to take 4 months to go through this book so I will need it for a long time. 

I am surprised so many use ereaders. I never even thought of that! I have to say, I just can't do it. I have an aversion to screens and I am terrible at charging things.

I thought I'd HATE reading on a screen. I swore up and down I'd never switch. Then my DH put one in my hand and I realized that having the ability to INSTANTLY get the next book in a series and NEVER be out of books to read was too good to give up. Kindles hold a charge a LONG time. Plus if you go to read and realize the battery is dead you can read on your phone or computer while waiting for it to charge. For a long time if my husband saw me reading on my laptop he knew both the battery in my Kindle and my Phone were both dead, lol. 

Another benefit of e-books is that a lot of popular fiction are "xray enabled" which means if you have a book with a ton of characters and are bad with names (not that I of course have any experience with that) you can click on a character name and it shows you a quote from the first time they were introduced, to help you figure out who they are.

That said, I now prefer to read on my phone most of the time, which is not as nice as the Kindle as far as looks/eye strain, BUT I generally have it near me and charged, so I always have a book. Plus I LOVE LOVE LOVE being able to upload  picture quotes to a photo album - I have a whole facebook album of book quotes and it automatically puts the title and author on the quote. It's like my own digital commonplace book! (see below for example). I just highlight the text and hit the upload icon, and it asks me if I want a text or picture quote, and where I want to share/save it. 

I also LOVE being able to quickly look up places/events/maps/etc of things I'm reading about. So if the book I'm reading is set in say, Snowdonia National Park I can switch from the Kindle app on my phone to the browser and look up photos of the place, and pull up a map to see where it is in relation to places I know better, etc. 

Edited April 30, 2023 by ktgrok

[marbel]

Re: dust jackets on hardback books - if I'm reading a hardback I just take the cover off and put it in a bookcase for safe storage till I'm done with the book, then put it back on. Or, sometimes I just throw it away. It depends on how nice it looks.

[Vintage81]

57 minutes ago, marbel said:

Re: dust jackets on hardback books - if I'm reading a hardback I just take the cover off and put it in a bookcase for safe storage till I'm done with the book, then put it back on. Or, sometimes I just throw it away. It depends on how nice it looks.

I do this too. Also sometimes the naked books have cool little details embossed on the book so it can be a fun little surprise when you remove the dust jacket. ☺️

I read hardbacks, paperbacks, and my kindle. I guess my preference are the larger, floppy paperback books. (I don't like mass market paperbacks...too small.) I don't really mind hardbacks either as long as they aren't too stiff. I like collecting my favorite books and seeing them on my shelf, so that's the drawback of the kindle, otherwise I enjoy reading on that too.