Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

I'm not sure if this question has been asked of the group yet. I'm just wondering what everyone's preferred reading format is - Audibooks? Ebooks? Or paperbacks/ hardcover books?

I prefer to read trade size paperbacks. Not mass-markets. Text is too scrunched. However I prefer to buy hardbacks because they look nicer and hold up better over time. But I'm will read ebooks as well. I also love a good audiobook when walking or cleaning my house. :)

Nothing I like better than an actual,honest to goodness book.

See, mass market pb's are my favorite. However, I find that I'm getting into e-books more and more lately. But like Michele said, there's nothing like and an honest to goodness book :)

I'm a hardcover book fan, although I do have some trade size paperbacks. I love the feel and smell of books, so I have not even tried e-books and probably won't. We turned our den into a library with floor to ceiling bookshelves (that doesn't even count the other bookshelves in the rest of the house).....I love to look at my books.....they are like old friends.

i'm a paperback fan :D never got into the e readers but i might soon

I started using an e-reader when my family lived in a provincial city in Russia for a few months about 4 years ago. We could only take so many books with us, and as I had a 3rd and 5th grader I needed to definitely make sure I had enough for them, including schoolbooks. I brought books of course, but it just wasn't enough. I had a palm pilot back then and we had an (albeit slow) internet connection, so I could buy ebooks and still have something to read. I read the entire His Dark Materials series on my Palm. Our city, Ryazan, just didn't have much in English, and I don't read Russian. Most the stuff they had in English I'd already read--classics like Jane Eyre and Pride and Prejudice. I don't love ebooks--my ereader now is my phone and it's small--but I keep enough books on it so that I always have a book available for when I'm trapped in a line or waiting for someone and don't have my actual book. However, if I really like it, I just buy it AGAIN in a "real" book form....

Michelle wrote: "I'm not sure if this question has been asked of the group yet. I'm just wondering what everyone's preferred reading format is - Audibooks? Ebooks? Or paperbacks/ hardcover books?"

Honestly I like everything, but I usually read hard backs, paper backs, and kindle books. I rarely read an e-book or anything else.

I don't like ebooks simply because I have to read them on my pc. The majority of my home library is mass market paperbacks. I have a good selection of hardbacks too (if I can find them cheap enough). I don't mind trade paperbacks, but they are a tough size for my shelves.

ebooks are my favorite only because tend to read more than three books at a time. People look at you a little strange. This way I have hundreds to choose from anytime.

just paperbacks/ hardcover

Everything, gives me plenty of options.

paperback or hardcover is my preferred method, probably because I don't have an e-reader and can't stand to sit here and read a book off my computer....nor can I do audio because then I don't remember the story I just heard

Paperbacks. Ebooks are killing bookstores and eliminating printed books altogether and I detest that. I like REAL, actual books.

Hardcovers are nice but hard to handle and read.

I have a Kindle and a Nook Color and I can honestly say I have barely picked up a DTB since I got my first one 2 years ago. I was hesitant but because I am a very fast reader and love to buy books the e-reader was the way to go. I had no more space. Now I always have my entire library with me, noone knows how much I buy and there are so many free e books out there.

McKenzie wrote: "Paperbacks. Ebooks are killing bookstores and eliminating printed books altogether and I detest that. I like REAL, actual books.

Hardcovers are nice but hard to handle and read."

yeah hardcovers are hard to handlel but alot are going to it for some reason...I'm like hey just stick with paperback please...and I am with you I hate that digital books are destroying paper books...I too like real actual books....I get a rush out of breaking the spine of a new book and having it physically there if ever I need it... though I do see tha valueu and convienence of the e-readers and might one day have one...especially with the rate bookstores are closing...luckily for me my local barnes & noble's are doing quiet well, and as far as I knew Borders was too...but I heard that those are closing down all over the place which really saddens me.


Oh and I do like what Lisa said about no one knows how much you buy....that kinda perks me up there....but yet I don't have an e-reader and can't afford one atm either.

I'd like an (cheap!) ereader to read all the free ebooks I get since it's a royal pain to read them on the pc, but I love my dead tree books. I love the comfort of being surrounded by books and love the feel of a book in my hands.

IKR! a cheap e-reader would be nice...I can't read on my pc gives me migraines...but I too love the feel of a paper book in my hands.

ஐ Briansgirl "Book Sale Queen"ஐ wrote: "I'd like an (cheap!) ereader to read all the free ebooks I get since it's a royal pain to read them on the pc, but I love my dead tree books. I love the comfort of being surrounded by books and lov..."

Being surrounded by all my paperback books is definitely comforting to me. I love my books (ebooks and pb's), and I love going to bookstores and used booksales. But lately there seems to be a lot of books that I'd like to read that are written by lesser known authors, which are only available as an ebook; at least for now.

Paperback but since I have no money I resort to ebooks.

Butterbescotch wrote: "Paperback but since I have no money I resort to ebooks."

I don't have any $ either, so I buy mine used from the thrift shop, annual friends of the library sale or use PBS. The only ebooks I have are freebies.

I love ebooks. I still read regular books. I prefer paperback over hardback, because I can fit it in my purse.

I prefer paperback over harcover to because it's easier to handle than harcovers...I don't carry purses

I prefer paperback to anything, but I love my Nook. I just can't read it too long, because it hurts my eyes.

ahhh see that is my fear on those

I suppose for the average person who only reads a couple chapters at a time, it's not so bad. I'm just an obsessive reader, and will keep reading for hours and hours, and then it hurts my eyes.

me too i'm an obsessive reader

I prefer books-physically. And e-books makes the grade of my eyes higher..and audio books???hmm..when I'm doing something.:)

I used to be a hard core hardcover girl, but in recent years, since I'm so broke, I switched over to trade paperbacks. If I'm going on a trip or really broke, the. I'll purchase a mass market pb.

I really dislike ebooks and audiobooks. Ebooks because they take away from the experience of reading, and audiobooks because the narrator's voice never matches up to what I imagine the character would sound like.

Some audiobooks are great....others not so much. If you can listen first to see how the characters sound, then you can chose which ones to purchase/borrow. I don't find the audio to ruin things for me quite as much as a film can. For me, it is just a way to read when I cannot be reading! I used to drive an hour each way to work, coming home around 11pm through a country drive. I needed the books to keep me awake! A Tale of Two Cities was GREAT, but The Phantom of the Opera was terrible. I love Jim Dale's Harry Potter, but really hate the recording of The Lightning Thief. However, I lent my copy of the audio of The Lightning Thief to someone at school (I work in a school) and he loved it. My son is particularly fond of "full cast audio" such as in the Redwall series, but I think those are few and far between.

I love hardbacks and trade paperbacks, but if the hardback is expensive, it depends on how much I want that particular book in hardback.
Mass market paperbacks are ok, but I avoid those of really bad paper quality, as they are annoying to read.

I like some audiobooks, but I'm very picky with the narrator! I won't buy one if I can't hear a sample or don't know the narrator.

I have a Nook and love it but I think I still prefer the paperback/hardcover version of a book. The real book just seems more powerful and eye pleasing than an e-book in a machine.

Paperback and Hardcover books, I don't like reading from screens for long periods.

My first choice will be trade paperback, and then smaller format hardcover. I avoid mass market paperback when I can, and if I do get one, I usually give it away once I'm done reading it (sometimes looking for the trade paperback edition to keep instead).

I have a Kindle, but haven't really used it. I don't think I will be able to get anything out of audiobooks, I'm such an awful listener, I can't listen to anything for more than 2 minutes without zoning out.

Coqueline wrote: "My first choice will be trade paperback, and then smaller format hardcover. I avoid mass market paperback when I can, and if I do get one, I usually give it away once I'm done reading it (sometimes..."

I am the same way with audio.

Mary wrote: "I have been reading books everyday for 50 years and when I bought my ipad last year, I feel in love with reading all over again. I am now reading my first paperback in a year, and I am finding it ..."

I just went about a week without reading on my Nook. I didn't realize how much I missed it. Plus, with the Nookcolor, I'm reading in bed, in the dark and not fumbling with my booklight. There's definitely a convenience that a traditional book doesn't offer.

Having and ereader makes it so easy to buy books any time you want; it doesn't matter if its 3am. However, there are times when I miss the anticipation of waiting for the bookstore to open to get that long awaited realse. So of course I'm still buying paperbacks like crazy.

Going to a brick and mortar bookstore is a thrill that I hope is not lost to the cyberstore.

I love my bookstore it's so retro looking...though it's fairly new...I love pulling up in the parking lot and walking in the door and smelling books & coffee when I walk in...nothing is better than that....I walk into a book store and my stresses disappear for a lil bit.

I mostly read paperback format because it's easiest to carry around with me, although I have a fair share of enormous hardcovers :) I also like books on CD, but I don't read the classics that way because I want to read every word and have time to think about it and analyze it. As great as things like Kindle are, I don't use mine very much, although it is very useful for taking several books on a long trip!

~Sammie~ =^.^= wrote: "I love my bookstore it's so retro looking...though it's fairly new...I love pulling up in the parking lot and walking in the door and smelling books & coffee when I walk in...nothing is better than..."

The bookstore is the only store I like going to.

Arminius wrote: "~Sammie~ =^.^= wrote: "I love my bookstore it's so retro looking...though it's fairly new...I love pulling up in the parking lot and walking in the door and smelling books & coffee when I walk in....."

me too!

I prefer words. It honestly doesn't matter to me whether it's a hardcover, paperback, e-book (and could we please stop perpetrating the myth that e-books are not "real" books? thanks.), or a print-out from the computer. It really depends on where I am to determine which format I read.

I haven't really had much experience with audiobooks, but I can imagine situations where they would be ideal.

Jill wrote: "I'm a hardcover book fan, although I do have some trade size paperbacks. I love the feel and smell of books, so I have not even tried e-books and probably won't. We turned our den into a library wi..."

Couldn't have said it better myself Jill! I must look like a nut but when I'm in a bookstore I can't help smelling the books. Better than new car smell in my opinion.

Bob wrote: "Jill wrote: "I'm a hardcover book fan, although I do have some trade size paperbacks. I love the feel and smell of books, so I have not even tried e-books and probably won't. We turned our den into..."

Very much agreed. I love hardcover books - especially older editions that have a bit of wear and tear and have been circulated a bit. Cheap library bindings are always a treat to find...nice and sturdy =)

I've been resistant to the whole e-book/kindle craze as well. I can certainly recognize the convenience of e-books, but it lacks the charm and nostalgia factor of having a physical copy in hand.

If it's an actual book with pages I can turn, then I'm happy. Though I prefer paperbacks as they're lighter to carry around in my bag (I have shoulder problems) and I can bend the pages around as I read.

Very much dislike e-books though, I hate reading large amounts of text on screen. I have to do it enough for uni work!

I haven't tried the Nook/Kindle/Ebook things yet. I play video games so I don't think I'd have trouble adjusting. I don't think I want to invest in one though so I'll just stick to normal books.

I usually buy softcover because it's cheaper unless I'm buying a new book that's hardcover only and I'm forced to get it! I'm trying to get into audiobooks but I find my mind wanders when I'm listening and I don't know what's just happened.

I don't have a favorite format and some of it depends on my location & situation. But as long as I can be reading, I'm happy. I have a nook, I have trade paperbacks, mass market and hardcover. The only thing I don't do is audio books. I never have liked being read to. My mind tends to wander.

I'm the same as you Teawench...some people prefer trade paperbacks over Mass Market....I don't care either way I even handle hardcovers....if I can read them I get them. I can't do audio just like you I can't be read to it's a pointless feat because my mind wanders and I can't absorb what's being read to me

I have a Kindle and love it. Fits in my purse and goes everywhere with me. Throw it in a ziplock baggie and its even sand and water safe! A bubblebath, wine and my kindle is a weekly addiction now and enjoying at the beach during warm days is a pleasure also.