- Hardbacks
I know all the reasons why hardbacks are better than paperbacks. The binding is done more carefully, the paper that's used has a higher quality, the book has a better chance of remaining in good, if not perfect, conditions over the years. I know all that. But the hardbacks are so huge and heavy! For a girl used to carry one book in her bag, a hardback is inconvenient, especially since my bags are small. And let's face it. If you're in college and you want to read during class, you need a paperback. Less chances of getting caught with those small books :D
- Dust jackets
I've always had a problem with dust jackets. I always tear them or bend them or, even worse, loose them. I like my covers attached to the book.
- Paper errors
This sometimes happens with manuals or text books. When there's one page (or more) where there's a lot of extra paper in one corner and it's bent in a really odd shape. I know I can cut it, but I'm weird about books and scissors near each other.
- Price tags
This is something I often find in bookshops, small or big. They stick the price tag directly on the cover. Sometimes I manage to take it off nicely, sometimes I don't. Why would you stick something on the book? I'm crazy like that, yes.
- Size
When it comes to series, my OCD takes over any rational thought. Some of the series I have (like The Southern Vampires and Lord of the Rings) have books the same height and width. And I'm so happy with that. Others, like Harry Potter, aren't the same size. You might blame the edition. It's not. It's the same edition, only the guys who published Harry Potter in my country decided the last 4 books were too big for paperbacks so they made those 4 books hardbacks. While I grumbled and whined and moaned at that, at least they were acceptably big, not weapon-like huge. BUT. It wasn't enough they changed from paperback to hardback, they changed the shape for books 6 and 7. So now I have 3 paperbacks, 2 hardbacks that look like actual bricks, and 2 hardbacks that are smaller in width and the spines are rounder and softer-looking. And before you asked, no, they didn't publish a paperback version for those 4 books, only hardbacks. I like my books to look like they actually belong in a series. Not to mention that I love to be able to arrange them in order. *blush* I did say I'm a freak!
- White Paper
The white paper...it bugs me. I have really sensitive eyes and the white paper makes it uncomfortable to read sometimes. I have to read books with white paper in certain conditions for my eyes not to hurt. And I can't read with my glasses on *oops*
Keep in mind though, just because a book has one or all of the above "qualities" doesn't immediately mean I won't read it. The exterior has nothing to do with the content of the book. If I don't find another version of the book, one that isn't a hardback or with a dust jacket, then I'll silently curse my luck and still buy it, because ultimately it's the content that matters. So this is my bitching about the book as an object. Is there something that bugs you in a book as an object, not it's content.
Keep in mind though, just because a book has one or all of the above "qualities" doesn't immediately mean I won't read it. The exterior has nothing to do with the content of the book. If I don't find another version of the book, one that isn't a hardback or with a dust jacket, then I'll silently curse my luck and still buy it, because ultimately it's the content that matters. So this is my bitching about the book as an object. Is there something that bugs you in a book as an object, not it's content.
