My book club almost fell apart over a paperback vs hardcover argument

Last Tuesday at our monthly meetup at the downtown library, Martha showed up with a paperback copy of the book we were discussing. Frank made a comment about how paperbacks don't hold up over time, and suddenly we were in a 20 minute debate about bindings. I sat there watching them go back and forth, thinking about how 3 years ago nobody even cared what format we read. Our club started with 6 people on someone's back porch, and now we have 14 members who argue about stuff like font size and page weight. The funny thing is, after all that shouting, nobody actually remembered what the book was about. Has anyone else dealt with format snobs taking over their group discussions?

2 comments

2 Comments

adam_patel1mo ago

My Martha is actually one of the better readers in the group, and she always has the best insights - I bet Frank just wanted to start something. Paperbacks are lighter and easier to hold in my opinion, especially as you get older.

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drew_reed621mo ago

Wait, hold on, did you just say "my Martha"? Like as in your wife? That's wild, I have to be honest I never thought about people calling their spouse that way in a book club context. But okay, I totally get your point about paperbacks being easier on the hands. My mom complains about the same thing with hardcovers when she's reading in bed. Martha sounds like she knows what she's talking about though, and Frank definitely seems like he was trying to stir the pot.