September 2024
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    Looking at my modest collection, I found that penguin books are the most comfortable to read. I like that the paper is thin, which makes it light, it’s not bleached so it doesn’t make my eyes tired and the books are paperbacks, so easy to hold and carry. To illustrate my point I have conducted a small test. In these (https://imgur.com/a/sP8usOI) pictures you can see four books with around 700 pages. Look how varied the sizes are! And we’re not even talking about weight yet. Luckily, I measured (and rounded) it:

    Top left: 720 pages, 360 grams. 0,5 grams per page
    Top right: 700 pages, 480 grams. 0,69(nice) grams per page
    Bottom left: 695 pages, 1kg. 1,44 grams per page
    Bottom right: 680 pages, 1,175 kg. 1,73 grams per page.

    Beyond that, here are my other issues:

    Top left (pocket) It’s light and easy to carry, but because it is smaller I have to fold it deeper which increases wear and tear. 2nd place
    Bottom left (hard cover): I don’t like hardcovers. I like reading in bed and it’s uncomfortable with these. The format feels dated and the flap around it is pointless and I don’t know where to keep it while reading. Note that it’s three and a half times as heavy as the pocket and that ratio increases with thinner books.
    Bottom right: this seems to be a standard format for Dutch books, but it feels pointlessly big. The paper is thick and bleached, which tires my eyes and often the letters are huge!

    I am curious of your opinions! I apologize for the lack of technical terms that surely exist! I am also curious to find out if sizes vary between countries.

    by koningbaas

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