Which do you prefer, softback or hardback books?

I almost never read books so I’m probably not the person to answer this, but when I do read if it’s a book I’m not very concerned about it looking like it has some wear I prefer a softback. It’s lighter for one thing. If I want it to stay as perfect as possible and be on my shelf, then a hardback is preferred.

Well I read a paper book, I prefer soft back, as I have small, arthritic hands.
Mostly I use my ereader now, it requires only one hand, and my hand isn’t tuck in one position so it doesn’t cramp.

I prefer soft back too…but nowadays reading more on Kindle. But content is what matters more to me. If it interests me then doesn’t matter what material it’s made of.

it depends. At home, hard back. For travel, soft.

As @JLeslie and @elbanditoroso said, softback are easier to carry, but the shelf need the hardback ones.

I don’t mind too much about the covers, but I do feel more serious when using a hardback book hehe.

Hardback. They often have larger text and feel much less prone to wear and tear. I read hardback 80% of the time, I’d say.

Give me a good book to read and I’ll take it in hardback, paperback, e-file (or t-paper if that’s the only medium available).

For several years I did prefer reading on my Kindle but have since switched back to hard copy.

I prefer hardcover, because they last longer. A lot of the books I read are science fiction novels from the 70s and 80s, and many of those in paperback have become brittle over time. It sucks to be excited about reading a book, and opening it, and having the cover pop off in your hands and the first 28 pages fall out.

Hardback or softcover. As Long as it’s full sized.

E-book (unless it’s a chess book, then I prefer a physical copy, and those are mostly printed in softcover anyway).

Whatever format I find it in . I rarely buy books in retail shops – I’m all about second-hand/thrift/community library sources. If I’m interested, I’m picking it up in the format it’s available.

Earlier this year, one of our neighbours put out a couple of hundred books on his front drive for people to pick through. I grabbed about a dozen – equally divided between paperback and hardback.

Makes no difference to me, as long as the words are big enough for me to see them with my regular reading glasses.

Also, I buy books new online, and used at thrift stores and garage sales. I don’t care if they’re a little old or raggedy, but I don’t like them when they seem unclean. Such as if they have mold on them, or some nasty food stains, or even blood stains, which you don’t usually find until you’ve read half way thru the book. Don’t know why this is the case, but it’s happened often enough for me to notice. I’ve also found flattened, dried dead bugs in books. Yeeeeeek!!!