I didn't mean to be mysterious about this in my last post. It's a strictly personal disaffection, brought on by the boring physical limitations having small hands and reading a lot in transit. If you've ever played the piano, you'll know it's pretty mouselike to have a scant seventh span, and if you've ever ridden a TTC bus in rushhour, you know you often need one hand for pole-/strapping-holding. Which makes all but the slenderest hardcovers nearly impossible for me to read.
I also carry my books with me, and thus resent the added weight of hardcovers. If I'm really immersed in one, it is not unknown for me to sport a narrow horizontal bruise along the top of my left thigh; that's where the edge of a hardcover bangs as it bounces along in my shoulderbag.
Book are physical objects; often sexy, sometimes annoying. I respect hardcovers, but they don't suit my lifestyle.
Rebecca
1 comment:
It can be a tough call. There used to be a big price difference. Then two things happened: mass market paperbacks evolved into trade paperbacks (at twice the price), and most retailers started offering huge discounts on hardcovers. Today it comes to almost the same thing. I thought it was interesting that 2666 simultaneously came out as a hardcover and as two paperbacks in a slip case at the same price. I went with the hardcover. If nothing else, they're more durable.
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