Hard or Soft

                                                                 
Yep, you are dirty minded folks aren’t you because I see that glint of the gutter in your eyes. This is actually a blog about books, you sick puppies. I will start this blog by saying I know that most of the authors have no choice in what format their books are printed. Most of the time, the publisher decides what format in which books will be released. I have no idea what criteria they use to determine the format. It could be anything from word count to what is going to sell better. I really am clueless, but that is neither here nor there. This is about hardbacks, trade, and paperbacks—the joys of each one or not so joyous things of each one, depending on your point of view.

We will start with hardbacks, the books of our ancestors. Okay, not really. But I wish it were because I love leather bound books (even though I really can’t afford them). But once again, I digress. One of the reasons I love hardback books is the weight. I know I am strange like that, but I think a book is more than the words in it. It is about the adventure that it takes you on and a hardback book always makes me feel like an adventure or romance waits just inside its covers. That is my fanciful side. I, also, like hardbacks because they are more durable. I carry books around with me all the time. If you open my bag on any given day, you will probably find one or two books in it (it is also the reason I give for carrying a huge bag). The only books I will not carry with me are my autographed ones. They stay on the shelf and are only opened to look at the message or signature, to remind me of something I want to remember.

Trade paperbacks, I buy them only because I have no choice. To me, this is the publisher’s way of making more money without the expense of making them hardbacks. They are only about five dollars cheaper than a regular hardback. There are some good things about them. Usually the print is bigger and that is important as I age. Yep, I am almost ready for a nursing home. The trade paperbacks do give me the feeling of weight that I like so much.  I also like the way they look on my bookshelves. Okay, I am grasping at straws here. So I guess I should move on to regular paperbacks.

Paperbacks, what can you say about them? They are easy to carry, and I normally carry several of them. The great thing about paperback books is that it made books more accessible to anyone who has to watch their book budgets. For the price I spend on a trade paperback, I can normally get two regular paperbacks. If it is a book I love and want to read multiple times, I usually buy it twice. One book can sit on my shelves and one can be read. I do carry them around so they get roughed up quite a bit.  These are the first kind of books I can remember seeing. My grandmother had a bookcase built into the wall of her house that had nothing on it but Barbara Cartland books. This is also the first kind of book I can remember buying.

I guess I should add eBooks to this list as well. I never thought I would be a fan, but I have grown to like them. Yep, it almost pains me to say it. I almost feel like I am betraying my hardback books. Yes, I talk to my books and they have feelings so shush. The best thing about an eBook is convenience. I do not have an eReader, but I am sure it is just a matter of time. I like that I can get the book within moments of it being released. Yes, impatience is my middle name. The ability to make the print bigger or smaller is a huge plus as well. Now, onto the negatives. The cost is still out of whack as far as I am concerned. The price is close sometimes to the cost of the actual book. I miss the way an actual book feels in my hands when I read it on the computer. It is like reading a newspaper without the noise and trying to fold the damn thing neatly.

I guess the important thing is that we are all still readers. No matter what format you get your books you are still invested in the stories. What are your thoughts on the different kinds of books? Do you buy actual books or are you strictly an eBook reader?

Sinfully Sarcastic,
Shmuttmeister