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Books - Do you prefer Paperback or Hardcover?

For me, when I get books I often get the cheaper paperback option, give it a read.

Then if I really liked this book, I’ll donate it to a charity shop or in my social circle and purchase the hardcover version.

The only gripe I have with hardcover though is some books come with that sleeve cover around it, you know the one, bit fidgety to use when reading.

Paperback I like if there’s a book I am mildly interested in and I’ll just go “whatever” I’ll keep it as part a collection.

Paperbacks = cheap as chips but aren’t as protected as hardcover, easy to fill up your collection or shelf with, might sell it if i want the luxurious version of that book. this is for me.

Hardcover = More luxurious as it provides proper protection to the pages and outer area of the book, Often comes with items as part of a collectors set. Usually I get the same book if I really enjoy it to add as a gem of my shelf.

What are your tastes? Same as me or do you lean more heavily to one or the other?

xiao ,
@xiao@sh.itjust.works avatar

Actually I prefer E-ink (using Kobo with Koreader).

But when I have to take a physical book I prefer to choose the paperback one, it is light, cheap and flexible.

Hardcover are nicer in a bookshelf than in my hands.

Mothra ,
@Mothra@mander.xyz avatar

I like paperback for reading, such as novels or whatever book I’ll be holding for an extended period of time.

In contrast I prefer hardcover for books that are more visual in content or that are made to be consulted briefly such as encyclopaedias, dictionaries, etc. Or if I want it to stay open and flat on a surface, hardcover.

I’m ambivalent about small/medium sized gift books or trinket books. Those can be whatever type of cover.

Brkdncr ,

Kindle. I rarely re-read, so why waste the paper/space.

afox ,

Old ass musty smelling paperback. 50’s and old racist 60’s sci-fi books smell best. I have a problem.

clay_pidgin ,

I think you and I would be good friends. Other than buying books by the Grandmasters, I pick based on the ridiculous cover art. Woman in a space-bikini with an atomic raygun threatened by a lizard/wookie hybrid with a jetpack? Yes please!

afox ,

I love you already. Favorite authors? Ray Bradbury and Arthur C Clark.

AbouBenAdhem ,

The only time I prefer physical books to ebooks is when there’s a heavy focus on maps, diagrams, or other illustrations. In those cases I generally want the physical book to be as large as possible, which usually means hardcover.

Vanth ,
@Vanth@reddthat.com avatar

Audiobook > ebook > paperback > hardcover.

I listen to audiobooks way more often than reading. I can keep listening to the same book while driving or exercising or doing whatever around the house.

Paperback over hardcover if I’m going to have a physical book because it’s less expensive and more space and weight efficient.

cm0002 ,

Ebooks all the way. An eink e-reader is delightful and ever since I got a Pixel Fold I like to read on that even though it’s not eink (Now if I could get a foldy eink e-reader I would be sooo happy!) because I can hold it like a physical book.

Plus, you just can’t compete with being able to bring an entire library with you and the physical space savings for storage in general

kaitco ,

Kindle.

ADHD usually means that I’ll stop mid-word and want to read something else. If I have all my books in one place, I can still sit in my comfy chair and switch, instead of wasting further hours perusing my library and getting lost in memories of acquiring each book.

bionicjoey ,

I mostly prefer ebooks and audiobooks. If I am buying physical books I usually prefer paperback if it’s something I intend to only read once or twice like a novel, and hardcover if it’s something I expect to open a lot like a TTRPG manual or coffee table book.

sentient_loom ,
@sentient_loom@sh.itjust.works avatar

Paperback if I’m reading in my recliner. It’s just lighter and more flexible in my hand. Hardcover if I’m sitting at a desk because it’s nice to set the hardcover down flat.

phdepressed ,

Paperback. I’ve sometimes waited for paperback versions of books after their initial hardcover release. Cheaper, lighter, same reading, I used to be less patient so would suck it up and get the hardcover, nowadays I don’t read as much so waiting is easier. I read a lot when traveling and hardcovers are just such a pain. The only “nice” collection I have is LOTR+hobbit.

I’m trying out an eReader soon but I’m not sure I’ll be able to get away from the desire of physically turning pages.

MicrowavedTea ,

I don’t care about keeping books on selves and ebooks and paperbacks are easier to read. Hardcovers are always so heavy.

tuckerm ,

If it's a new book and one that I think other people may be interested in borrowing, I'll get the hardcover for the extra protection.

However, there's a used paperback store down the street from me that has a whole bunch of heavily used paperbacks for like $1 each, and those have definitely been dominating my collection lately. Sometimes I'll just pick up a dozen of them. That little store is one of those treasure troves of unexpected things, even though when you find one of those treasures, you might need to flip the pages carefully to prevent it from falling apart.

observantTrapezium ,
@observantTrapezium@lemmy.ca avatar

Digital only. Who even has room for physical books.

frightful_hobgoblin ,

people who live in rural

space is one thing we’re not short on

communism ,
@communism@lemmy.ml avatar

Paperback. For big books maybe hardcover so it stays in one piece, but tbh all the 1000+ page books I have are still paperbacks. Even if they were the same price, I think paperbacks are easier to hold and read since they’re more flexible. But the sturdiness of hardbacks can be nice sometimes

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