Format – Booking Through Thursday
OMG! I can’t believe it’s Thursday already. That’s the beauty of a Monday holiday – the week just flies by!
This week’s Booking Through Thursday question is:
All other things (like price and storage space) being equal, given a choice in a perfect world, would you rather have paperbacks in your library? Or hardcovers? And why?
It appears after much thought that I will need two libraries, or better yet, one magic library. Here’s why: I prefer paperbacks to read but hardcovers to look at. Have you tried to read a really thick hardcover, such as Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows? It makes my arms/hands hurt. Perhaps I’m a wimp, but I don’t like that. I prefer the lighter and more flexible paperbacks; I can bend the cover, wear in the book…there’s something slightly more interactive (for lack of a better word) about paperbacks.
But if I had my druthers, my library would be hardbacks. They’re nicer to look at. And I don’t mind reading them.
So how about a magic library? Where the book becomes a paperback for reading and a hardback for display?
What do you think? I’m sure you’ve answered this question on your own blog, but I’d really love it if you left a note here…I’ll come visit you, I promise!
| Tags: booking through thursday, Books, hardback, paperback 30 comments »












February 20th, 2008 at 11:54 pm
Ha, I like how you think! I also thought about practicality vs. aesthetics for my answer. And not dropping hardback books on my head! LOL!
Happy BTT!
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:00 am
I like a magic library!
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:04 am
I’m with you, Trish! A magic library will be great!
Happy BTT!
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:05 am
And hardbacks are harder to read when there’s a cat smooching the book. But I love the magic library idea!
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:12 am
I think your magic library would be a hit! Maybe you should start working on developing it…
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:12 am
Yes! That’s what I want, a magic library!! For all the same reasons, too.
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:17 am
A magic library seems to be completely within the rules, at least to me.
I didn’t think about the weight of them in my answer but then again, I don’t think I have ever been bothered enough by it.
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:54 am
I agree. Hardbacks to collect, paperbacks to read. Hehehe. *sigh* If only it’s possible without spending so much ahaha.
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February 21st, 2008 at 1:20 am
Good idea, that one. I mean, hardbacks for display and paperbacks for reading. A library with lots of hardcovers definitely looks better than one with paperbacks.
Happy BTT!
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February 21st, 2008 at 2:05 am
The important thing for me is how well they stay open when I’m reading and eating at the same time.
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February 21st, 2008 at 3:04 am
I’m mostly happy with paperbacks. How about a magic library that makes the books audio, too, when needed?
<Edited by Trish: This is brilliant! Now you’ve got me thinking…>
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February 21st, 2008 at 4:17 am
Sounds about right! LOL…
Happy BTT!
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February 21st, 2008 at 6:07 am
Love the magic library idea. I had much the same answer as yours.
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February 21st, 2008 at 7:00 am
Count me in on the magic library, too! Especially with the audiobook option. . .
Lezlie
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February 21st, 2008 at 8:16 am
I agree with Anne – propping them open on the table is always a challenge
But I do like hardcover books for the look and feel, even though paperbacks are definitely easier to handle. I have trouble holding the chunksters too!
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February 21st, 2008 at 9:38 am
Magic Library..I too like the idea!
Booking through format
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February 21st, 2008 at 9:56 am
I agree, hardbacks are better looking!
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February 21st, 2008 at 10:56 am
Yes, the magic library for me too please!
The trouble with the large hard covers (like Harry Potter) is reading in bed when you have to hold up the book. I don’t mind them when I’m sitting up and can prop the book on my lap or a table. But it does wear down your thumb and wrists to hold those big daddies up!
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February 21st, 2008 at 12:11 pm
obviously, a magic library is the answer! I’ll have one too, please!
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February 21st, 2008 at 3:27 pm
Hardback, and the bigger and heavier the better! There’s nothing more comforting than toting and reading a huge meaty tome. This almost sounds obscene…
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February 21st, 2008 at 8:03 pm
Excellent idea…I want one where the books magically appear.
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February 21st, 2008 at 10:26 pm
I always thought the Potter books were too heavy. If they made the font-size and line-spacing a bit smaller, the books could be half the size! and still perfectly legible!
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February 22nd, 2008 at 1:14 am
I wasn’t clever enough to think of having two copies of each book but that seems to be the best answer. One to tote and one to keep.
cjh
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February 22nd, 2008 at 7:01 am
I love your idea of the magic library! Cause I completely agree. Prefer to read the trade paperbacks but the hardbacks do look so pretty on the shelves!
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February 22nd, 2008 at 8:42 am
See you sound like me. Hardcovers are just so much more awkward to read!
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February 22nd, 2008 at 11:47 am
I bought a paperback copy of The Historian as soon as it came out even though I had the hardcover version sitting on my shelf since it was first released. I didn’t want to lug such a big book to work and back every day.
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February 22nd, 2008 at 12:15 pm
I’ve always wanted one of those libraries full of leather-bound books, all the same size, they look so elegant and suits my neatness bug. So my magic library needs that option:-) And I love the audio option, but can we tweak it so that we can choose the reader’s voice?
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February 22nd, 2008 at 8:18 pm
I’m amazed at how many of us are saying the same thing about this week’s question.
Btw, I gave up on Atonement, too. It was WAY too literary for me.
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February 23rd, 2008 at 6:40 pm
LOL – I like the idea of a magic library
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February 25th, 2008 at 5:25 am
I’m with you, since price is not a factor, I’d have one of each.
A copy for “display” and a copy to loan and bend and love.
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