Quote:
Originally Posted by rhadin
Many years ago I bought MMPBs because they were affordable and took up (relatively) little space. But I quickly realized that for me, I was throwing my money away. Too often the spines were damaged after the first read and certainly after the second or third read. Covers tore easily, almost as easily as a dust jacket, and the pages tended to deteriorate rapidly. MMPBs were great for books that I wanted to read and then give away and never see again, but not for books that I might want to reread or have in my library for others to borrow and read or for my children/grandchildren to inherit.
I have hardcovers that I bought in the 70s and 80s that I have read more than once but that still appear to be new. I have hardcovers from the 50s and 60s that show minimal wear. The biggest wear on the older books occurs on the dust jackets, extra care is required to preserve them.
A good example is my set of the Saga of Recluce books by L.E. Modesitt Jr. I have the complete series in hardcover and even the first book ( published in 1991) is in near-new condition after having been read by several times by several people.
I would also note something else that hasn't really been touched upon in any depth: future value. First edition hardcovers can be valuable on the resale market years down the road. For example, the Magic of Recluse, which is the first book in the "Saga" series, in "like new" condition can sell for more than $100 on the used book market largely because it is no longer available. In contrast, I can buy the MMPB edition new for $10 because it is still in print, which means that it has no resale value to speak of. Of course, ebooks have little to no resale value because they are always available.
As others have indicated, whether the ebook, the trade paperback, the MMPB, or the hardcover is the preferred format is wholly up to the reader. It depends on what the reader wants from a book. For me, if I just wanted to read a book and then "toss" it, an ebook would be ideal, but I have other wishes which make the hardcover my preference. |
When I was reading paper books, MMPB was always my preferred format because it fit in my purse, and was easier to hold. I don't care about how a book looks, or smells, or fits in my book case...I just care about how easy it is to read. That's why I have switched to almost entirely ebooks.
I do still have more paper books than most people I know, but they are mostly for an emergency...like an EOTWAWKI* emergency. Even then, I will read my ebooks as long as I am able. If we ever do get to the point of no electricity for months (or years*) on end, and no way to get gas for the generator, then I will still have my paper books to read.
Shari
*End Of The World As We Know It