[Katsunami]

Since some time, I've been thinking about giving away or selling all of my paperbacks; most of them already have been replaced by ebooks. I'm thinking to use the space to start collecting hardcover books.

It doesn't mean that I'm going to try to collect every "classic" ever written: this bookcase would contain books that *I* consider to be worthy to have as a hardcover. Some books that are considered all-time classics may not end up being in this bookcase, while a book that's considered so-so by many could be one of the first to be on the shelves.

Nowadays, I greatly prefer to read on an e-reader for several reasons: custom fonts, custom font sizes, front-light, smaller, lighter, more transportable, more easily handled. However, I still like books, and hardcovers in particular. Some books I have in hardcover, in Dutch or English (or both, if the Dutch book is a translation) are out of print and not obtainable anymore: not in Dutch, English, or as an ebook. Some books I really wish to read some day are not (yet) available as an eBook, or I deem them to be unsuitable to read as such.

Most of the time, I would read a book on my e-reader (if available), and if I deem it worthy to be in my bookcase, I would buy it as a hardcover; new, or a very good looking second hand version. There's only one small teeny tiny problem.

After shelving the hardcover, I might never, ever read it.

Therefore, apart from the books that are not available as an eBook (or the ones I don't want to read as an eBook) the bookcase would just be for display and collection.

What would you say:
Yes, go ahead. It's nice to have a great collection of books.
No, don't do it. You'll only be wasting money.