I have Corelleware, and use it for all occasions, so I guess my dishes would be trade paperback level.
But your analogy is not an accurate one. When I buy china, it is the dishes themselves that are the product. When I buy a book it is the story that is inside the cover that is the product. The cover is just packaging. I don’t give a damn how it looks on my shelf, I’m buying it to read, not to display. A nicer cover doesn’t change one bit the content contained within.
BTW, hardbacks look better on your shelf only if they are hardback sized shelves. Paperbacks look better on paperback sized shelves. But I really don’t think
One of my favorite books is Up the Down Staircase The only copy I have of it is 30 years old, yellowed, warped spine, and with a torn cover. I would not enjoy reading it any more if it were leather-bound with gold edging, because it would be the exact same story. For me, the worth of a book (those that aren’t illustrated, anyway) is in the story it contains
To use your analogy: Would you pay more for the exact same set of china if it came in a nicer box?
As for the dust jacket thing, when I do buy hardbacks, I just toss the dust jacket out. What I cannot understand is children’s picture books that come with a dust jacket that has the exact same art as the cover art of the book. These I cut up and laminate for bulletin board displays.
If I had unlimited funds, I’d probably go hardback/trade paperback all the way. Unfortunately, I don’t. Ergo, most of my book purchases go in the trade paperback/paperback category. I can get more enjoyment paying $6-7 a pop for a paperback than $20-25 a pop for hardbacks.
Of course, this rule is often waived for certain authors. Terry Pratchett comes to mind. After I got through the backlog of stuff when I started reading him, I’ve had to get the hardbacks, because I just. can’t. wait. any. longer.
The same goes for Steven King, usually. But, those two are like literary crack for me, so…
I too tend to be a paperback reader. Cost is a factor, but carryability (not really a word, but it should be) also comes in to play a great deal. I head off somewhere to cover a story or take a pic (where there might be no bookstore) and I may be there for quite a while. I want to pack as many books as I can. On the return trip, I may well need room for any number of things. I don’t want to feel guilty about bumping a tattered copy of “Carry On Jeeves,” or “Timberline”.
There’s also a bit of a loyalty factor. None of my stuff has ever been published in hardback so I want to keep as many paperback publishers going so they will continue to pick up my stuff (stupid reason, but…).
So do I. The paperbacks books I have at hand are, mostly, Del Rey and Red Fox (a British publisher, published the Redwall books), and, depite having been read many, MANY times, the worst damage to any of them is a missing back cover on one and a massively creased spine on another.
And, ironically, the handful book club books I have and have read often enough to have them fall apart (Watchmen, 2 Sandman compilations, Barlow’s Guide to Extraterrestrials and Ellison’s screenplay of I, Robot) are in better shape than most of the hardcovers I’ve read. They’re also thinner, which probably has an effect.
As the person with the dubious distinction of having inspired this thread, allow me to add my $0.02!
I used to read only paperbacks when I was in school and couldn’t afford anything else. Now that I have a bit more money, I buy hardcovers. Both for their durability (I’ve never had one fall apart on me, and I often buy them used) and their attractiveness. I have “good shelves” and “not-so-good shelves.” My leather-bounds and nice-looking hardcovers live on the good shelves. Book club editions, paperbacks, and my vast collection of comic strip collection live in the “not-so-good” shelves. When I was reading paperbacks (and I still have a bunch - I’m gradually replacing them as I track down hardcovers, though), I hated creased covers or scored spines. Neither of those things happens with hardcovers, and I’m very careful with my dustjackets.
I grant you the point about portability on vacation, though. THAT’s why I got the eBookman! Holds a bunch of books, nice, easy-to-read display, and the size of a large PDA. Much easier to travel with even than paperbacks!
If I have a choice, I buy paperbacks. They are much cheaper, and take up far less room. I have about 500 books in my room at the moment. God only knows how many more shelves I’d need if they were all hardbacks! Most of the hard covers I own are either 1. texts I bought for my English classes 2. books I bought on sale or are good-mint condition second hands.
However, some books I desperately want (now!!) and buy in hard cover. A Heartbreaking Work of Stagging Genius by David Eggers, for example is worth every penny I paid for it.
I work in a college library that provide a rotating bestseller section. 90% of these books are never checked out, so I got to read lots of the latest books by my favorite authors for free. I buy paperbacks because of the price and the fact that I go through a book so quickly. My staples I have in hardback, although I stupid stupid stupidly loaned my Lord of the Rings to a heartless, heinous b!&ch who moved out of state. There should be a law!!!
Most of the books that I read are trade paperbacks. I prefer them in every way over hardbacks. Hardbacks are too heavy to hold in one hand if I’m reading while prone.
Like Lynn B., I hate dust jackets. When I do read a hardback, I remove the dust jacket. Within a couple of days, it rolls up into a near unmanagable shape, and even when back on the book, is never quite right again.
Also, I too usually carry around multiple books, as I can’t stand the thought of encountering unexpected free time for reading, and having nothing to read. Hardbacks weigh to much to do this regularly.
Finally, there’s the price. I have a hard time plunking down 20 to 30 bucks for something I’m going to be finished with in a couple of days. Trades are usually in the 10 to 13 dollar range, so for the cost of two hardbacks, I can usually pick up three or four trades.
I’m all over the map on this – most of my books are hardcover, and I used to be picky and look for first editions only – wouldn’t touch a used book, or a book club edition, or an ex-library copy.
Now I don’t care – if I want something, I’ll take whatever I can find, although I’ll look for HC first.
I see no shame in having paperbacks on the shelves, especially the old SF lines.
What I really like are the little Lemony Snicket books – slightly undersized hardcovers, with illustrations, priced at about $7 each. They are SO cute!
Since I had kids, frequently the only time I can find to read is in bed just before I go to sleep. I find that the paperbacks are FAR less likely to cause severe head injuries when I nod off while reading and drop the book on my face…
I typically only buy hardbacks of books if:
(1) I’m dying to get the book, and I can’t wait until it comes out in paperback (as in the case of the last three Harry Potter books);
(2) It’s a book that I consider a classic, and want a really nice copy on my shelves to read and re-read over the years (I’d love to get some hardback Heinleins);
(3) It’s a new book by an author I really love, that I know will fit into category (2) (e.g., a new one by Orson Scott Card); and
(4) Reference books (dictionary, Bartlett’s Familiar Quotations, etc.)
Unless it’s a reference book, like a cookbook, dictionary, etc., where I know I’m going to want to keep it and refer back to it.
For me the trouble with hardcovers is twofold: First, I live in a 425 square foot apartment. That means one needs to ensure certain efficiencies. Hardcover books, by definition, are Not Efficient. Second, I take books with me and I hate lugging around hardcovers. I treat them like shit, which usually means whatever aesthetic advantage they may have disappears after about three days on the subway.
As for durability - well, they’re all over the map. I made the mistake of storing a bunch of cookbooks on the kitchen counter, where they were exposed to water. One, a hardover version of How To Cook Everything, has now fallen apart in most spectacular fashion. The others (mostly, but not all, hardcovers) seem to be holding their own.
I am eagerly awaiting a practical, inexpensive, readable digital book. I will then be able to dump lots of my existing books, tee-hee-tee-hee. I know this is sacriligious to many (Eve, I’m sure, will spank me) but I do like electronic formats, especially if I can highlight, underline, etc.