Fess Up: Hardcover, Paperback, Audio Book, or Kindle/e-book?

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Ogee Ogilthorpe

Ogee Ogilthorpe

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I'm an unabashed, ardent supporter of reading hardcover books, not paperback or other options. It's not even close in my mind.

But I'm willing to at least listen.

What's your argument for paperback or Kindle or audio books? Make your case, I could be convinced to at least diversify.
 

since I retired, I have bought a lot of used books from various internet sites. Most of my purchases are paperbacks because they tend to be less expensive. Hey, I'm not rich, so I have to be careful how I spend my money, and I can typically buy several paperbacks for the price of one hardcover.

paperbacks are also smaller, so they take up less room on my bookshelves and they're easier to read in bed.

that is not a hard-and-fast rule. I picked up a hard-cover recently (a collection of Pauline Kael's movie reviews) because the hardcover was selling for less than the paperback version on that site.
I also have a collection of hard-cover books in two different science-fiction series because I wanted the books to match. (already had some of each series in hard-cover from when I was in High School).

book-hunting is a lot of fun, but I've had to dial it back recently because I was spending quite a bit of money. but I did complete my set of all 82 Perry Mason novels by Erle Stanley Gardner in paperback. (Perry's clients were all innocent......)
 

I like hardcover just so I can use the cover flap as a bookmark. But really hardcover & paperback are interchangeable for me. Depends on availability and publisher I guess.

I don't use e-readers or audio books. I spend enough time looking at a screen and the radio is for music & news.
 


If possible, hardcover every time, for all reasons-reading it, aesthetically (one of life’s underrated beauties is a lineup of hardcover books, spines with dust jackets facing outward), and storage.

Trade paperbacks come in next, with mass market relegated to the necessity of traveling light.

Kindle’s a nice option for traveling and I do like the function of looking up vocabulary and highlighting passages but when I am at home it never gets picked up.
 


I prefer physical books over anything electronic.

The only electronic version I use is Libby. It's an app that you tie to your library card. Very convenient when travelling or when I've run out of reading material.
 

I use them all.

Hardcover, paperback, Kindle, Libby, audio from time to time...
 

coolhandgopher said:
If possible, hardcover every time, for all reasons-reading it, aesthetically (one of life’s underrated beauties is a lineup of hardcover books, spines with dust jackets facing outward), and storage.

Trade paperbacks come in next, with mass market relegated to the necessity of traveling light.

Kindle’s a nice option for traveling and I do like the function of looking up vocabulary and highlighting passages but when I am at home it never gets picked up.
Click to expand...

I want to be talked into trying a Kindle or some version of it; everything about it seems great, convenient, accessible, versatility, accessibility of library... everything except the actual aspect of holding a book in your hands and enjoying it.

I'm sure I'll break down and try one at some point but not yet
 

Count me in the group that doesn't like the electronic versions of books. I also still get magazines delivered to my house as I much prefer the physical copy.
 



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I have the nook and Libby apps on my iPad. I’m basically all electronic and at least 95% of the books I read come from the library.
 

I read a lot of non-fiction books and I like to highlight when I read. I usually buy paperback to save on costs, and have yet to use a Kindle, though that's all my wife uses.

Go Gophers!!
 

More and more have gravitated to Kindle. That Libby app mentioned a couple of times in the thread makes things very easy. Honestly, as I get older, just don’t want to physically have books.
 



tikited said:
1. Hardcover
1a. Paperback
Nothing else.
Click to expand...

This is basically where I'm at. I've read ebooks in the past.....but I just prefer a physical copy. Hardcover if possible.....but I can deal with paperbacks. Don't really care much if I bunny ear a paperback.....but I prefer to keep my hardcovers in good shape. Post-it Flags make for great bookmarks.
 

Hardcover by far the best, but man are ebooks convenient. I usually put a couple hardcover books on my Christmas list, but when I finish a book at 9pm and want a new one, it's just too easy to download one to my tablet.
 

Hard copy for everything fiction. Kindle for everything learning/self-improvement.

When I read books on programming, it's always on Kindle. The ability to make notes/highlight, immediately look up definitions, etc...Can't be beat. But I will always appreciate my physical copies.
 

I have still never used a Kindle or listened to an audiobook. I'm not terribly picky about what form of books I have but it is cool to have some nice hard covers around. For example I have a first edition of Tolkien's Silmarillion and Umberto Eco's Foucault's Pendulum.
Also last Christmas my dad gave me the complete collection of New Yorker cartoons. I love having it but it's two volumes on each of them ways about 30 lb s.
 

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