Book Buying Addicts Anonymous discussion

My bookshelves used to be just hardbacks or mass market paperbacks. Then I had to figure out how to add in trade paperbacks. What's with this new really odd size book... it's the width of a mass market paperback but it's an inch taller! (4 x 7.5 inches) It's a really bizarre size. It feels tall while reading it too. Odd. But it really messes up the bookcases.

I think those books are called pocket books. The reason they have been made taller is so that it is thinner and skinnier, so that if can fit in your back pocket. I have noticed that the past few Stephen King paper back books I have bought have been this shape and size. Also I have noticed that the paper back books that you buy that say mass market paper back are the ones that are weird shaped also.

Have you also noticed the paper back books that seem to be bigger than a normal sized paper back, but a little smaller than a hard back? I just noticed one a few months ago. Havn't seen too many of those.

Kerra wrote: "I think those books are called pocket books. The reason they have been made taller is so that it is thinner and skinnier, so that if can fit in your back pocket. I have noticed that the past few St..."

ya I noticed that too. I kind of like them because they fit nicely to slide into my purse and not take up way too much room. Its harder to carry a hardback book in my purse than that.

I have Stephen King's The Cell. It's narrow and very tall. It's also very fat...so I don't see that one being a pocket book. lol
I like weird shaped books. Uncut pages and all! Probably cause I'm so weird...don't want my books to feel left out. hehehe

My books are all different sizes. Too many different sizes to count. I cannot imagine having all similarly sized books. But I have a lot of old books too. I just make the shelves tall and let the books fit as they will.

I guess the reason the tall books bother me, besides feeling odd to read is that my book shelves are packed. My paperbacks are stacked two rows high and three deep on some shelves and I can't add one of these odd size paperbacks in with the rest.

Jennifer wrote: "Kerra wrote: "I think those books are called pocket books. The reason they have been made taller is so that it is thinner and skinnier, so that if can fit in your back pocket. I have noticed that t..."

Lol, I agree with you there. I very much like my kindle for that reason, but if I want to carry around an actual book, those do fit in purses quite nicely! I couldn't handle a hardback being in there. Not only are they heavy, but they are also hard to fit in there.

Shannon wrote: "I have Stephen King's The Cell. It's narrow and very tall. It's also very fat...so I don't see that one being a pocket book. lol
I like weird shaped books. Uncut pages and all! Probably cause I'm ..."

Lol, I love it when I buy a hardback book and the pages are made uneven and cut looking. I think it feels like the author made it themselves. The Stephen King books that I have like that are IT, The Tommyknockers, and Duma Key. I think that you are right that since they are so fat they are only going to fit into a mans pocket. If they ever invent a Stephen King book that can fit into a girls jeans pocket I will die of laughter. I think they are supposed to be pocket books becuase they say on the side of them usually pocket book. That is at least what I thought. I was like "yeah this might be able to fit into a mans pocke." Naturally a man would have thought of that :)

ஐ Briansgirl "Book Sale Queen"ஐ wrote: "I guess the reason the tall books bother me, besides feeling odd to read is that my book shelves are packed. My paperbacks are stacked two rows high and three deep on some shelves and I can't add o..."

Yeah, I can see how that would be a problem. That would bother me too. However, I don't even have book shelves. I have had my dad make two in my room, one for my Stephen King books and the other for my series collections. Other than that all my other books go in different places in my room. I have a read and keeping pile and a non-read pile :) I have books all over my room and honestly I am running out of room. The main reason I can't wait to move out on my own. So I have room for them all :)

ஐ Briansgirl "Book Sale Queen"ஐ wrote: "I guess the reason the tall books bother me, besides feeling odd to read is that my book shelves are packed. My paperbacks are stacked two rows high and three deep on some shelves and I can't add o..."

I secondf that

e books don't need stackin

Glenn Beck's book came out in the oddly sized "pocket book". I missed the hardcover version, and now that's all I see at book stores. I want that book so bad, but due to my anal nature, I just cannot seem to bring myself to buy this atrociously "inconvenient" sized version!

Kurt wrote: "Glenn Beck's book came out in the oddly sized "pocket book". I missed the hardcover version, and now that's all I see at book stores. I want that book so bad,..."

can't u find it on internet?

One of the reasons I love the small mass market paperback size is because they fit well into a cargo shorts/pants pocket. I'll go out of my way to get a book in that form when available. I really dislike odd-sized books. Feels weird reading them and look odd on the shelf

I have discovered an ingenious way to accommodate the different size paperback (and hardcover) books. I have different size shelves and it works just great. I felt a knot slowly growing in both my throat and stomach as I read that a number of readers mutilate their books by carrying them on their backsides. The thought of them sitting stirs the content of my stomach to eruption. Surely there must be more of you out there that picture this as I do; a defilement and desecration of a work of art. I wouldn’t treat my friends like that so certainly not a book.

Thom: Actually I don't really have a problem with it. While I've never carried a book in my back pocket, I carry mass market paperbacks in the side cargo pocket of my shorts or pants sometimes. Although I love owning books and try to keep them in good shape, to me there is something special about the ASE (Armed Service Edition books) ideal of carrying it in your pocket, reading it, and then passing it on to someone else. It results in some tattered books, but I don't look on it as "defilement or desecration". I view it as well loved/used and that it gave it's full worth to many people. As much as I love the medium in which it comes (the book itself), the most important thing is the passing of knowledge which accompanies reading. That's how I view it anyway

Though I love books, I don't actually view them as people. They are treated with respect but...I always carry either a regular book or my Kindle in my purse no matter what I am doing. I always have my current read available if I have a moment to read while waiting somewhere and I would think that the joy of reading would dictate that some men might put a book in a cargo pocket or back pocket. That just says "I love to read" to me! A good book, thoroughly used by many people will eventually fall apart so, just like a thoroughly used body, I believe we should use them because neither a book nor our bodies will last forever. We should just care for them as best we can during that process.

I like odd shaped books because it helps me find them on my shelf when its overflowing with books (which it usually is!) I can remember what the book looked like when I got it (size, shape, cover colour etc)and find it quicker =)

Chrissy wrote: "Thom: Actually I don't really have a problem with it. While I've never carried a book in my back pocket, I carry mass market paperbacks in the side cargo pocket of my shorts or pants sometimes. Alt..."

I agree. Although I take care of my books, what it all boils down to is that books are meant to be read.