Hardcover. But I don't buy many anymore due to price compared to paperbacks (although those have gone up quite a bit as well).

edit: also, when lying in bed reading, I prefer to have a hardcover propped up on my chest. Easier on the arms.

Whatever is cheaper, so usually (but not always) paperback. Also, if I buy a hardcover book, I usually prefer it to not be a dustcover or anything like that, it just makes it easier for the book to slip out of my hand, so I quite often remove it from my books when I read them, and forget where I put them/they get squashed and ugly because I place something on top of them by mistake.

Hardcover, it is more durable and can last longer imo.

Paperback is more fragile.

I like both pretty equally - though I usually like paperback if I know I'm going to be reading the book right away (/because it is cheaper). I enjoy reading hardcover when I do get hardcover books though.

In terms of the e-book debate (to get slightly off topic) I really like the concept, and both my parents are avid Nook readers now, so it is weird to be the odd one out at home. But I am very attached to the idea, and sight, of books, and shelving. I'm a collector at heart (but actually really only for books) so the idea that everything is on one device is nice for convenience, but I can't get around wanting to have the physical books too.

Basically, I need to be able to buy my books in physical format and then get them at the same time for an e-reader (preferably for free/included with the physical book). Then I would be totally on board with e-readers.

I would tend to go for the large format paperback version, but now I just buy ebooks, some books just dont get released here, so its easier to just d/l them in a few seconds for Kindle.

Paperback. Hardcover are a pain to hold for me, since your thumb or fingers have to reach extra far around the edge of the covers to hold the pages. Super annoying for someone like me who doesn't have huge hands.

I would have used to say something different, but now: NEITHER.

Really, unless it's my favorite book ever I want a digital file.

For the record I have a ton of classic sci-fi and the pages are literally crumbling in the oldest ones because, you know, 40-50 years is a fucking long time for acid paper to hold up. My physical books are clearly no more "forever" than my "stray electron" digital books.

Either way I don't mind. Although for some books I prefer ebook. Got a Van Lustbader Bourne trilogy book from a mate which was a pain. Especially since I tend to read at my lunch breaks at work. Carrying that bible was too much. For the 2nd book I ended up getting ebook instead.

Hardbacks - I like these for their size, durability and the fact that thicker books don't break on the spins when read. I do like them in general, but I tend to reserve only getting them for books I seriously like or new works by authors I like (unless of course they are bargin prices of course).
My one biggest complaint about many modern hardbacks (esp in fantasy writing) is that many are just an oversized paperback with a hard cover. There isn't anything special about them otherwise, and indeed when the dustjacket gives out (as they do if the book is ever read) there is very little to the cover at all, indeed you're lucky if the spin has the book name on it!
I would honestly purchase many more if they were made like the Lord of the Rings special editions - chock full of art plates and decoration and generally made to a higher standard as its own product.


Paperbacks - most common that I used to buy and that I still do. They are good for reading and not too heavy to hold for a long while. That said they are not as good on 500+ page novels (the spins start to get a bit worn very fast) and they can also suffer as reference books. For general reading though they are great options


Ebooks - Using a proper e-ink reader (not a tablet with LCD screen) I find ebooks to be fantastic. The reader itself (Amazon Kindle in my case) is lighter than most paperbacks and easily held in either hand for a long while. I can also carry far more books with me than ever before - it makes for an ideal travel companion since now I can read several books on the go without having to lumber myself down.
Fast access to new titles and the amazing e-ink means that I'm very happy to buy ebooks as well as read text files or get free distribution ebooks (eg all the copyright expired books!)
That said as a reference book the e-readers are not yet good enough for that use; a good hardback or paperback (oversized not pocket book sized) is still vastly superior - heck ring bindings are often very important for some kinds of reference book.

In the end what I enjoy most is reading itself, that isn't changing any time. Be it paperback, hardback or digitalback the words on the page are what's most important to me. Certainly certain kinds of book work best in some formats over others.
I would say my most overwhelming disappointment is the general lack of quality of hardbacks in fantasy unless you're Tolkien .

My preference is most certainly hardcover. I love a lot of classic books and hard cover just adds to the richness for me. On the go I like e-books (FOR THE MOST PART), mostly for books that would be overly cumbersome or heavy to carry around (medical texts, big novels, etc). Paperback for me is a complete and utter last resort that a hardcover does not exist (as with some of my favourite books (Dirk Gently, Discworld novels, ...On a Pale Horse and Good Omens).

I have recently acquires a copy of my OTHER favourite books The Hobbit in a very lovely pocket edition hardcover. It is very light, easy to read, small for storing AND is completely unabridged! I highly recommend it to fans of the Hobbit, or those who don't already own a copy of the book. It was really cheap too I got it for $15.95 on ThinkGeek. I would absolutely love a copy of Reaper Man, Soul Music, ....On a Pale Horse, and Good Omens like this honestly.

If I had to choose it would be Hardcover - but I prefer digital.

Depends. Usually I'm okay with paperback because I can read it while traveling or on the crapper without any hassle but for works I really love I appreciate hardcover (still dreaming of the Necronomicon with metal ornaments on the cover). The really weird thing is though that while I prefer reading on the screen (it's less of a strain on my eyes) and while I'm okay with digital games I'm still not willing to buy ebooks.

I don't like when physical books have locks around the covers, and in order to open them you have to call a 1-800 number and wait for a temporary activation code. Then when you close it, you have to call again and get a new code.

I hate that!

Yeah, PRM sucks. It makes DRM appear like a nice treatment.

I don't really care, but if we forget the fact that hardcover books can be quite a bit more expensive, they are nicer to hold and to look at.