I saw a video by Daniel Greene, where he says that paperbacks are actually more durable than paperbacks, and he swears that paperbacks are the way to go. What do you guys think? I’ve seen that the general consensus is that hardbacks are more durable, but after watching Daniel throw and stab both a paperback and a hardback, and watching the paperback stay mostly readable, I’m no longer sure. What do you guys think?
Thanks! 🙂
Edit: forgot to mention that after the abuse, the hardback fell apart, like entire pages fell from the spine but the paperback remained mostly ok, although very beat up, but perfectly readable.
by thegreatestpitt
9 Comments
Hardcover books tend to use higher quality paper. As far as the actual durability of the book, if you treat them well I would say it is about the same. I tend to treat paperbacks as…paperbacks. I have no problem bending the spine in half, folding pages over, throwing them around. I do not do that with hardcover books.
No book is made to be stabbed or thrown around – ever. Paperback books were originally designed to be throwaways while travelling, and the pages would start to fall out after about 3 reads. Modern glues are better and I have paperbacks on my shelves for about 45 years now and still readable.
While I admit that I have read some rubbish books over the years I still think that stabbing a book should be a hanging offence.
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edit – spelling
I’ve never torture tested a book and don’t plan to in the future.
Collectible type books I prefer Hardcover. Books that I don’t plan to keep I get in paperback.
The hardcover books sit on a shelf until I want reference them again. Still not abusing the book.
I don’t think torture testing a book provides any valuable information.
I think paperbacks are more durable since the cover can’t really fall off as easily.
I personally prefer paperback. After a while, I feel like hardcovers become way too fragile, so I only get hardcovers of the books I want to collect that I’ve already read i.e The Hunger Games, the Twilight saga, the classics, etc.
I feel like paperbacks are more durable over time. I just have very vivid memories of the spines coming off of some old books and my grandmother gluing them back on using rubber bands wrapped around to hold them on. Sometimes the pages will separate or the cover will tear off. Like others said if it’s a collectible item like a coffee table book or just a special edition of a favorite book of mine I prefer hardcover just for aesthetic purposes but I always prefer reading paperback anyways because it’s easier to just fold it over
I personally don’t buy many hardbacks because they’re not as comfortable to hold and read, and a book is for reading. But the few hardbacks I own, I treat them a lot more delicately than I would a paperback which would probably mean my hardbacks *seem* more durable
Hardback for collection. Paperbacks to actually read.
I find with a lot of modern hardbacks, the binding is awful, and the pages start falling out very quickly. Older ones hold up better, or are at least easier to mend due to the older style of binding. Paperbacks seem to stay together regardless of age, although the covers are more fragile.