Our Shared Shelf discussion

Hello everyone!

I am curious which readers prefer better: Paperbacks or Hardbounds? Why?

Personally, I prefer paperbacks for the reasons below:

MAIN REASON: I love sharing my books to friends/family and have them write their thoughts on the book itself. I have this idea that one day, if I would be given a chance to meet one of the authors, they would see what others think of their work too. I would want to share that moment of happiness to both the author and my friends.

1. I LOOOVE the ~*smell*~ of a new/old book.
2. Lighter than the hardbound (obviously, haha)
3. I always read before going to sleep so it's less hurtful when you accidentally drop it on your face.
4. Bendable.
5. I like seeing my books tan. I don't understand why.

Some might react on my main reason since I know a lot of people care for their books so much they wouldn't want it ruined/written on/folded and I don't judge you for that. Personally I think that books that have a creased spine because it was read so many times is another way of saying that it has been relived again and again.

Please share your thoughts, I am so excited to know other's paradigm. ☺️

I prefer hardbound. I find when I read paperback, I always have to apply pressure to hold the front cover back, whereas a hardcover stays open when I lay it on a table.

Hardbound is more expensive, but it helps the book to last 100s of years.

I definitely love the smell of books, they are one of the rare smells that actually come from nature, and the smell allows my mind to go to another place.

eReaders don't have smell, they just have an LED light.

By comparison, things from nature contain Vitamin B (assuming no chemicals were added in the process, such as various pesticides), and Vitamin B helps the body to fight off various diseases. The sun contains Vitamin D, and an LED screen light doesn't.

So, by comparison, it's actually healthier to read from real books.

Imogene wrote: "Hello everyone!

I am curious which readers prefer better: Paperbacks or Hardbounds? Why?

Personally, I prefer paperbacks for the reasons below:

MAIN REASON: I love sharing my books to friends/f..."

I prefer hardbound. There's just something comforting about the solidity of a book, of knowing the cover can't be bent. I accidentally folded a paperback book cover when I kept it in a bag, the cover is permamently creased now. Sure it's more expensive, but it seems more...like the kinds of books you find in...I don't know, university/church libraries. hard covers make me feel like I'm reading a really treasured story, treasured enough to bind it with more protective covers. And the additional weight is worth it because I feel like I'm carrying a greater story, even if there's an identical story in paperback version. Though truth be told, the cover pictures may influence my decision in choosing whether to buy hard cover or paperback.
And I love the smell of books, too!
And in comparison with e-readers...no contest, paperback/hard covers will always beat them for me. I don't mind reading short stories on e-readers, or skimming the longer ones, but I don't think I would like reading a normal novel on say, kindle. I feel like reading books electronically are bad for my eyes in comparison with reading paperback/hard cover.

I buy primarily paperbacks, for reasons of ease, but I do love me a beautiful hardback - if only I had endless amounts of shelf space...

I tend to buy paperbacks for a couple of reasons. I find them easier to carry around and the tend to be a bit cheaper.

I don't do ebooks, mostly bc a book is great break from a. screen after working on one all day. they give me headaches :/

Paperbacks for me because it hurts less if I drop them on my face. But also I like how they age and become pliable, they are also easier to carry to and from work.

While I do buy more paperbacks (Money's the key), aesthetically I adore hardcovers. They look polished and last longer, but they're expensive. So, I seek a good deal on them.

But, for the light and right for my wallet factor, I go for paperbacks. Basically, these question tends to stump me. lol.

I also prefer paperbacks for their mobility. I have no problem throwing a paperback into my purse/bag and wrecking it, but I can't stand a torn dust jacket. The few exceptions when I purchase hardcover over paperback is if I prefer its cover, it's less expensive, or the typeset is larger (without being "large print").

I'm definitely a paperback girl! They're cheaper to buy and lighter to hold/carry. Plus I find it quite awkward to hold open a hardback and dust jackets/covers do my head in :')
I also don't mind when a paperback starts to look worn after being read, whereas when a hardback starts to head in the same direction, corners turning in, torn/crumpled cover etc., I hate it.

Charity shop paperbacks are usually my style. And typically paperbacks are selected for price reasons.
Also, a much loved paperback looks much loved, its harder to make a paperback look worn without damaging the cover (which I did to HP6 by accident and now it just looks tatty)
I do love hardbacks though, I'm so envious of people with a wall of hardbacks

I prefer hardcover books over paperbacks because you don't have push the cover open when you read it the first time and fold it back so that it stays open and it also doesn't damage that easily. I also have a lot of paperback books on my bookshelf, but I've noticed that some of them have loose pages because they've been read once or twice and every time I lent them out to someone I have to tell them that there're loose pages in that book so the page doesn't get lost and it is difficult to read a book with missing pages and I also don't like it when my books fall apart. The only thing I don't like about hardcover books are the dust covers. They always seem to slide off so I remove them every time I read a hardcover book.

Steffi wrote: "I prefer hardcover books over paperbacks because you don't have push the cover open when you read it the first time and fold it back so that it stays open and it also doesn't damage that easily. I ..."

I always remove the dust jacket too when reading a hardcover. Do you travel without the dust jacket as well?

I enjoy paperbacks because they are easier for me to fit into my bag. I always have a book with me and paperbacks are smaller and lighter. Most importantly there's something beautiful about wearing out a paperback, the creases are like love lines.

Although I do possess more paperbacks(solely because they are cheaper and I stumble upon them much more than hardbacks, which to me seem only being printed when the book comes out the first time, and then they switch to paperback).

I don't like reading a book on a screen as I read a lot on the internet already. I tend to borrow the physical book from the library instead of using the digital version.

And the smell of books, either old or new, is one of the best scents in the world to me.

I too own more paperback than hardcover. For similar reasons as already stated. Price, lightweight and small to carry in a bag or what have you. Though there is something about seeing a book shelf full of hardcover books that I like.

And for me as well I would rather have a book physically in my hands than read it on a screen.

I don't have a preference here per se; I like each for different reasons, some of which are:

Paperbacks are (obviously) cheaper and lightweight, and thus more portable. Moreover, they require less space, which makes them easier to pack, a quality all of us book lovers can appreciate because God knows there's no space for shoes after I'm done packing books for a two-week trip.

On the other hand, hardbacks are more durable and I feel like one can find more fun/interesting hardback covers, case in point being the clothbound covers by Penguin, these Discworld covers, and so on.

It depends! If the book is very long, then I tend to prefer hardcover because it is more durable. If the book is short, then I will always pick paperback. I find hardcover for thin books a waste of materials. In general I think paperbacks are more comfortable to read, and they are more portable.

I have to agree with the overall opinion that paperbacks are easier to read. When I am reading, I want to be comfortable no matter how I sit or lie, and hardbacks make some positions just impossible. Plus, paperbacks are easier to tote around. I have a few hardbacks for 3 simple reasons: great deal at the thrift store, given to me, or BEAUTIFUL book that I wanted to read and own and will proudly display once I have room for a bookshelf. Feeling the great, loving, worn pages and covers of paperbacks is irreplaceable to me, and hardcover jackets do tear more quickly than paperback covers. I hated the thought of e-books, until my mom got me my first kindle 7 years ago. I'll happily read a physical or e-book now, but any series I own, I want to own all books of it in the same format. Completionist in me, I guess. Having only HP7 in hardback bothers me to this day, but I cannot justify buying a paperback copy to match 1-6. (I couldn't wait for the paperback copy to read the book.)

As for the smell of books, there is no scent like it in the world. I was disheartened, when teaching at a lower-income, middle school August thru December, students in EVERY class complained that the textbooks stink. A part of me died inside, learning that most of those kids hate the smell of pages.

Yup. paperback for me too for all the reasons listed above

Samantha wrote: "I have to agree with the overall opinion that paperbacks are easier to read. When I am reading, I want to be comfortable no matter how I sit or lie, and hardbacks make some positions just impossibl..."

Same here!

I love my Kindle as it's so easy to use and I literally take it with me everywhere, but I still love physical books.

I'll buy hardbacks of series I really want to have (Harry Potter, for instance. :)) but paperbacks are definitely easier to use.

Right now I prefer the Kindle since I can read the book that I am reading anywhere, plus I can read at night.

Paperbacks