Do you prefer hard cover or soft when buying books?

I read in bed alot, so I prefer soft, especially mass-market. (I have small hands) If I doze off while reading a hardcover, I invariably poke myself with a nasty corner.
Edit to add; There are also a great many “trade” paperbacks (slightly larger than mass markets) that never started in hardcover editions that are really marvelous.

I love a good hardcover book with good quality paper. It’s an investment, a book I can look forward to having for many years. Softcovers use cheap paper that yellows within a couple years, and the binding is usually just glue, which becomes brittle… and pages start falling out.
I have some hardcover books that are 150 years old and still in great shape, whereas a paperback from as recently as 1990 is falling apart.

Unquestionably softcover. For the reason that @JilltheTooth mentioned. I do a lot of reading in bed, and when I fall asleep under the book, I don’t want to drop a hardcover book on my face.

I prefer soft but if I really want a book then I won’t wait until it comes out in softcover.

I stopped buying books as an investment years ago as @marymaryquitecontrary does. I found that I never go back and read them. I buy soft covers at the flea market or at yard sales and resale them when I’m done so I can buy more. Or I will go to the library and check out specific books.

Definitely hardcover. Even though they can be cumbersome, they hold up much better in the long run.
Now that I have an e-reader, I wonder how long before I don’t buy any real books;~)

I like hardcover versions of my favorites.They will look all “purty” on the Stickley style bookshelf I plan on making…someday ;)

Holding hardcovers is really uncomfortable for me, softcovers all the way

I prefer hardcover for books I will use as reference. Like textbooks and references that I frequently use. I prefer soft for novels that I will read once and stick on my bookshelf. And I do most of my reading on the bus. So a softcover novel is a bit more friendly in my backpack.

On a purely aesthetic level, I like looking at the hardcover books on my shelves. I’m also afraid of absolutely maiming my paperbacks (my copy of The Catcher in the Rye has seen better days.)

Though I do prefer mass-market soft covers, as @JilltheTooth. I’ve acquired a ton of these for school (I have a leaning tower at the foot of my bed!) These make it much easier to tote my textbooks to and from school.

Oh, crap. All this talk is sending me out into the world to buy more books that I don’t have room for. Gee, thanks a lot, guys! ;-)

If I really like a book I’ll buy it in hard cover. Most others are soft cover. The exception to this is when I find a hard cover book that looks interesting in the bargain bin. Then I’ll pick it up.

There are some series that I initially picked up in soft cover and after 4 or 5 readings the binding started to break. Those are the ones I replaced with hard cover the expensive hard covers.

Both. I prefer soft cover most of the time, but hard cover books don’t bother me at all. So either.

I’d prefer soft cover.. it’s honestly just easier/more comfortable for me to handle.

I prefer hardcover. They stand up well on shelves, usually have jackets and are worth more money. I do own softcovers simply because I couldn’t get the book in HC.

Soft cover, I can’t handle hard covers.

I prefer hardcover, but I buy them used. I won’t pay full price for a hardcover book.

I hate when pages or the binding get bent and I’m more likely to have a hardcover book stay pristine.

I love the look and feel of hardcover books but I am thrifty and will buy the softcover when available. Plus paperbacks are lighter and travel better.

Hardcover is easier for me. The pages don’t get worn as bad and they’re easier to put on the book shelf.

I do not buy new books! I get used books all the time over the internet!

Hardcover for most because they hold up better if I choose to hang onto them or share them along.

For the most part, I go for softcover, if only because they are considerably less expensive. However, there are certain authors I need to have in hardcover. For example, I’m on a mission to get every J.R.R. Tolkien book in hardcover, to replace all my paperbacks. I just got “Mr. Bliss” in from eBay a few weeks ago.

I usually go for hardcover only when I’m collecting a series. Other than that I generally won’t get hardcover simply because softcover is cheaper.

I like both but prefer soft cover. Cheaper and lighter.

I prefer hard cover, because they’re more durable, but they are expensive, so usually I will settle for a paperback or buy the book used.