Booking Through Thursday
All other things being equal -- do you prefer used books? Or new books? (The physical specimen, that is, not the title.) Does your preference differentiate between a standard kind of used book, and a pristine, leather bound copy.
Well, this does require a bit of thought, doesn't it. Do I prefer used books? It depends. If I am looking for a title that is out of print I obviously have to prefer it used, don't I? In that case, I would go for a hard back copy. The most recent purchase of this type has been The Bumper Book, a children's book from my youth that I have bought copies of for my grandchildren. Both copies that I have bought have been a bit worn and a bit musty but very tight and intact and I was pleased with my purchase except for the ridiculous price tag that was on them.
I guess I would say that for current reading I prefer new books. I like the larger paperbacks over the standard paperbacks but, above all, I prefer hardbacks. I go against all decor suggestions and leave the dust jackets on them because I like to look at them -- remember, I am the one who chooses books by their covers -- not a great idea but my style, for sure.
This then brings us to the question of e-books, doesn't it? Can't leave that new technology out of this conversation, can we? I have an e-reader that I have a love/hate relationship with. However, after the latest updates, our relationship seems to be mellowing out and we are working much better together. The idea behind me wanting an e-reader is my inability to quit buying books. We have run out of room in our house. We have no more bookshelf space and no more wall space to put more bookshelves so something had to be done besides purging all the books. I have begun purging some of the books and I have made the decision that almost all new books will be bought for the e-reader and if I want to a hard copy to add to the library here I will but I will no longer enter a bookstore glazed-eyed, without direction, and run willy-nilly past the bargain bins to the new releases gathering up enough books to run a small lending library.
So, in my case, I guess there are no hard and fast rules as to my preferences. It depends on the situation, the price and the importance.
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6 comments:
I know all about having no room for anymore books. I barely have room to stand in my rooom and if I do stand I usually knock over a 4ft stack of books.
My Christmas kindle hasn't really done it's job.
Sally.
I haven't got an e-reader, so if I buy books I buy had copy and new.
The bookshelf problem is familiar and for me too the solution is an e-book reader. When it comes to the age of a paper book I really don't care, what's inside the covers is more important. http://mostraum.wordpress.com/2011/02/24/booking-through-thursday-something-old-something-new/
Like you, I don't have particularly hard and fast rules, purpose is the determining factor in most cases. See my post here: http://shirley-mybookshelf.blogspot.com/2011/02/booking-through-thursday-something-old.html
I just couldn't come up with an answer for this one. I like used and new, pretty much equally. And as to running out of shelf space - well, we got there loooong ago. I just stack the incoming books on any available surface, or the floor. And the iPad hasn't done much to solve the problem. What I really need is an intervention.
Sally -- yes, I seem to have to move the books to sit down. I am forcing my Nook to work for me -- but I am having a horrible time not buying magazines.
Pepca -- I really do love hardbacks as well.
Eva -- You are right about that.
Shirley -- I think you are right -- if it is going to stay in the personal library then hardback is preferable -- new or old doesn't much matter. If it is going to be passed on to other readers then it doesn't really matter.
Joy -- Well, I won't be the one to stage the intervention but could we possibly get group rates? I just can't walk into a bookstore and come out empty handed. Is it genetic?
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