hardbound or paparback?

If I can get it in hardback, then I purchase it in hard back. I love the way they look on my shelves. Do you keep your dust jackets on or off? I was horrified when watching Trading Spaces, one of the designers took off and got rid of all the dust jackets on a homeowners books. She said the dust jackets made the books look ugly. I love dust jackets. I'm fortunate, because I work for a book company that sells all books for 50 cents. I can afford to purchase hard backs. I'd never be able to if I had to pay full price!

I much perfer softback books. They are so much easier to hold in my hands then hard backs, plus they are easier to pack with you when you are going somewhere.

I don't have many hardbound copies of books on my shelves. I found that these copies are quite precious. Many of the hardbound copies I have are those of non-fictions which are quite costly. On the other hand, the paperback copies are a welcome. There are easy to carry around and light. The cost is lower than a hardbound copy.

I prefer reading paperbacks, and the small size, not the new bigger size they have been using in recent years, it just gets too big to hold, especially since I like reading in bed. Hardbacks can be too bulky to read, but if it's a new release them I will just buy it in hardback rather than wait for the paperback version.

Well I prefer hardback books for ones I do collect. They do hold up better and look better on the shelves. Price wise though and actually reading them I prefer paperback books. They are cheaper and easier for me to hold. So I have a good mix of both in my collections.

If I have the choice between exactly the same book in either hard cover or paperback I'll opt for the hard cover unless there's a huge price difference because the hard cover is more durable. In response to KATRINKA's comments above, I usually take the dust jacket off while I'm reading the book. Otherwise it's bound to tear or pick up grime. They remain fresh, and the books look much more colorful and inviting than if they were coverless.

I always prefer the paperback version as it is easier to handle. Hardbound books tends to be heavy that I cannot bring them anywhere I go. Plus their wait strains my back. I often fall asleep while reading so imagine that...I think I will have bumps all over my head if I fell asleep with with a hardbound book on my face :)

For me, it sort of depends on the book. If I'm just getting a novel or something I don't think I'll read very many times, then I always get a paperback since it's cheaper, but if it's something that I think I'll really use a lot, then I like getting a hardback copy so that it holds up better.

Usually, when I buy a book, I buy the hard cover edition. I buy the hard cover edition because the book is a new release, and I don't want to wait for the paperback edition. If the book I'm buying has a paperback edition, then I buy the paperback because it is cheaper. Many of the books I read I got from book swap sites such as thebookcart.com, or bookmooch.com, or paperbackswap.com. Bookmooch.com sends books all over the world, both hard cover and paperback. thebookcart.com only sends paperbacks to the USA. And paperbackswap.com swaps hard cover books, paperbacks, and books on CD. I highly recommend all three sites.

I prefer hardback books. I just don't like reading paperbacks, maybe because they are smaller and it is hard for me to hold the book =)

Either or but I do prefer hardcover because the books stay in tact longer

I buy mostly hardcovers because I get them from my book clubs, however I am trying to stop buying so many books because I read them much too fast and then feel stupid for spending so much money. I read paperbacks, too, but I have not bought any in awhile now. As for a preference, I don't have one. I'll read almost anything in just about any format. I just love to read.