I read in the papers recently (link here) that literary hardbacks are becoming endangered and may be fazed out in some point in the future.
While I am a paperback girl convenience wise, I must admit there is something rather noble about a row of hardcover books upon a shelf, with their fabric bound spine and skinny red ribbon bookmark placed in the middle (if you’re really lucky). Naturally, being such a book lover and collector myself, I thought smugly, “Well surely I have a few.”
Granted, well over half of our books are in storage so I could only browse what I could lay my hands on. If we’re counting non-fiction, well, I had about a half dozen of them.
And what fiction? Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, and Happy Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
Hmmm…..
Well I suppose it is a nice historic blueprint as to where our allegiance to Hogwarts began; for the previous four books, Adam and I were happy to wait just that little longer, save that bit of money. After? We were the ones (well, I was the one) waiting in line like all the other sad-geeks devotees, expense be damned!
Do you buy hardback fiction? What was the last one you bought? Does it worry you that their days might be numbered? Or perhaps you’ve never given it a second thought?
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
The last Harry Potter I’m afraid but I always try and avoid the hardbacks and wait for the paper backs, just to much of a cheapo!
Cheers
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Naturally HARRY Potter instead of HAPPY Potter. Just doesn’t have the same ring, does it?! LOL
I’d much rather have a hardback for a book that is worth keeping. I have sometimes started out with a favorite book in sc and then when I found an inexpensive hc replacement, I would buy that (most of my books are found second-hand).
The only problem w/hardbacks are the price. But they look nice, live longer and display better. Plus I always feel a bit odd giving a sc book as a gift – especially for children a hc is so much nicer.
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I buy a lot of hardback fiction. Many of my Philippa Gregorys are.
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JLP – You’d be looking forward to the new movie “The other Boleyn Girl” then, wouldn’t you, if you’re a Gregory fan?
On Saturday I bought The Encyclopedia of Melbourne – it’s a whopper of a hard back !
Now I’ve just got to tackle it with the wrapping paper and hire a forklift to place it under the tree lol.
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My mother insists on hardcovers. I am cheap enough (usually) to wait for the paperbacks, but not always the ultra-cheap mass markets. I just finished Atonement and Dadditude is waiting for me.
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