The Quiet Concert: What Are Your Book Preferences?

Dec

2014

What Are Your Book Preferences?

Welcome to Thoughts for Thursday! This feature is our outlet to talk with you about whatever we currently have on our minds. It might be bookish, it might not! Now for this week's thought:

What Are Your Book Preferences?

When I read my hardback books, or travel with them to signings (or elsewhere), I always remove the dustjacket. To me, this is the part that would easily tear while handling since it's just paper and I want to keep it intact. The rest of the book seems much more durable and so I don't worry about it as much. I assumed this was the normal thing to do and never thought anything of this behavior until Ashley pointed it out to me, finding it weird. To her, the dustjacket is meant to protect the book so removing it when you actually handle the book seems kind of backwards. And I can totally see her point, and yet I still don't want to damage my pretty dustjacket even at risk to my book. But it also got me thinking... which one of us is the oddball? Or is it just a matter of preference? So I thought to pose the question to you all and see what you favor.

Also, I can't seem to make up my mind as to whether I prefer hardbacks or paperbacks. I like to buy all of my favorites in hardback because they are more durable but I prefer reading paperbacks, and obviously paperbacks are cheaper. But then there is the annoying fact of hardbacks being released sooner than paperbacks more often than not. Or the fact that not all books are released in both formats, so i'm forced buying both anyway. And don't even get me started about redesigns complicating things further. I hate that my Anna and Lola copies are in paperback and my Isla is in hardback but they are signed and I am too cheap to buy multiple copies. *Sigh*. How do you guys feel on the subject?

Comments (11)

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Wendy @ Book Scents · 539 weeks ago

It's so weird because I used to really dislike hardcovers because they're harder to hold with one hand when I read. But there's so many really gorgeous hardcovers!! And then I need them. But you're right -- paperbacks are so much cheaper. Usually I'll go for the PB unless it's a fave or something with a really gorgeous hardcover. Whichever it is, once I buy the series in one format, I need my series to match and be in the same format throughout! it definitely makes it hard if I buy the first in PB and hten the sequel comes out and I'm desperate to read the sequel but it's only in hardcover. it's such a conundrum haha.

i'm with you on removing the dustjacket actually. I traveled and kept the dustjacket at home because I feel like I'd rip it or fold it as it travels in my suitcase. the hard cover seems more durable to me while the dust jacket seems more liable to get bent!
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bookbakeblog 14p · 539 weeks ago

I agree with you on the dustjacket thing. I always take it off when I start reading a hardcover that has a dustjacket, exactly for the same reason: those jackets tear so easily, it seems like a waste to keep them on. And if the cover of the hardback gets slightly blemished, you can put on the dustjacket again to cover it up!

I think I prefer paperbacks over hardbacks, though, although I'm not 100% sure. Paperbacks are much easier to hold and a lot less heavy to take with you. Plus, as you said, they're so much cheaper! However, hardbacks are much more durable. I think in the end I'm going for paperbacks, though. The majority of my books are in paperback format as well, just because I don't want to spend the extra money on a hardback that'll be much more annoying to read anyway.
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mel1704 86p · 539 weeks ago

Normally I always left the dustjacket on, but I find it so much easier to read without it. I also like to keep that one in pristine condition, since that's the part you see the most. I'd rather have some dents in the naked spine than tears in the dustjacket. However, I mostly buy paperbacks because they are cheaper and easier to hold. I love how hardbacks look together on a shelf, but I'm more of a 'I want to buy more books if I can' type of girl :p

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joyousreads 92p · 539 weeks ago

I'm a hardback type of girl. It drives me crazy when my daughter takes off the dustjacket, but that's because she tends to lose them. My signed copy of TFiOS is now naked. *cries*
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celinefrohn 19p · 539 weeks ago

Haha, that's so funny! I always take off the dustjacket as well, and I kind of assumed that's what you're supposed to do. Reading it with it still on is just so damn awkward, you know? I tend to almost exclusively read paperback because of money and the fact that I hate having to juggle that annoying dustjacket all the time. Like, when you take it off, where do you put it? When you accidentally put a book on top of it, it gets an ugly crease on the spine.
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Pam@YA Escape · 539 weeks ago

Yeah, I keep the cover on for hardback books and I love hardback books!!! But I prefer to read on my Kindle. I used to hate the covers on hardback books so I threw them away. I just thought they looked better on the shelves without them. How dumb was I! Oh well. fd
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1 reply · active 539 weeks ago

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Pam@YA Escape · 539 weeks ago

The fd was a typo by the way!

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Kay · 538 weeks ago

I always take the dustjacket off my books when I'm reading them as well. I feel like they can easily get bent or ripped and that would be horrible! I know one of my friends is just like us and always takes the jacket off, but my mom always leaves hers on. I don't know why because I have never asked but I think I will have to and get back to you on that. I love Ashley's take on this and reading everyone else's opinion in the comments. I would have never thought to write a post about this since I just assumed everyone takes them off, shame on me. I was totally wrong! I love that I was wrong and I love seeing what everyone else has to say on the topic. In the end, I think we are all oddballs.

Normally I like the look of and the not so heavy aspect of the larger paperback books (trade paperback.) I'm not a big fan of mass market paperbacks because the font is usually super tiny and they are not as pretty. I do love hardcovers the most, but they are more expensive and more awkward to read when on a trip and such. I also use my reader a lot when I travel.
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loveatfirstpage 73p · 538 weeks ago

If I buy a hardback, I always remove the dust jacket while I'm reading it or if I take it somewhere. I'm afraid to get it bent and also it just seems to get in the way.

As for hardback vs paperback, I'm really not picky. These days, I go the cheaper route, which usually means paperback.

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everydayhas 2p · 538 weeks ago

That is so interesting, because I always wonder why people ever remove the dustjackets! It's a complete mystery to me! :)

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behindamillionandonepages 32p · 538 weeks ago

Hmm, this is a tricky one. I'm like you, and take off the dust jacket when reading or taking a hardback book somewhere. If I leave it on and it gets wrecked, then you can always see it there on the book, whereas the hard cover is much more durable and will take sitting in a handbag or a suitcase. I think I like hardbacks more, I think it might be just because we don't get many hardbacks in Australia unless you buy the US version online. Great post!
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