Authors Share Their Love of Paperbacks in Celebration of Paperback Book Day
Authors Share Their Love of Paperbacks in Celebration of Paperback Book Day
I want to note that I do not get paid to do these posts, I just love authors and the book industry. However, they do take time and energy to create. If you want to donate a few dollars to my coffee fund, which keeps this blog going, you can do so here: https://venmo.com/AshleyHasty or here: http://paypal.me/hastybooklist.
Paperback Book Day is a day to celebrate…you guessed it…paperback books! According to statista.com.com, 788.7 million printed books were sold in 2022 - 60% of those were trade paperbacks making them the most popular book format. So I encourage you to put down your audiobook or hardcover and pick up a paperback.
Paperback Book Day
Did you know July 30th is Paperback Book Day because on this day in 1935 the first Penguin paperbacks were published in England? Prior to this, books were made with wooden covers and bound in leather making them both heavy and expensive. Paperback books made reading more accessible to a wider variety of people and more convenient to take with you when traveling. In addition, paperback books kept the owner of Penguin from going bankrupt during the start of the Recession. Penguin Random House continues to be the “largest general-interest paperback publisher in the world.” There are a number of ways to celebrate Paperback Book Day!
Ways to Celebrate Paperback Book Day
gifting someone a book - become a matchmaker and match a friend, family member, or colleague with a book you think they’ll love!
finding a new book to read - go to a local bookstore and treat yourself to a new (paperback!) book to read.
joining a book club - reading can be more fun when you have others to share the experience with (even if you don’t talk much about the book.) Consider joining a book club or starting one yourself! If you’re already in a book club, suggest a paperback book this month.
highlighting an author on social media - give a shoutout to your favorite author on social media. You can even wish them a happy Paperback Book Day! Share with your friends which book of theirs is your favorite (perhaps consider highlighting one of the authors below, who share a love of paperbacks!)
taking the time to organize your bookshelves - you can even celebrate on your own by re-organizing your bookshelves. Maybe you’ll make this an annual tradition! If you read a lot and have a large collection of books it is likely they’ve gotten a bit out of order since you last organized your shelves.
Given the choice, would you choose hardback, paperback, ebook, or audiobook? The following authors shared their love of paperback books in my interviews with them…
Kennerly Clay
Good old-fashioned paperbacks for me. Love the sawdusty smell of the pages.
Keisha Blair
I prefer paperback every time. There’s nothing like holding a book in your hand and making notes in the corner and carrying it with you everywhere.
Joyce Chua
There's something about a nice, soft paperback you can tuck into your purse that trumps every other version of a book for me.
Sarah Beth Durst
I love paperbacks because they remind me of the joy I'd feel as a kid whenever I was allowed to buy a new paperback when we were out running errands. It felt like being gifted an entire new world.
Brianne Sommerville
I consume all formats of books but my preference is paperback. I find hardback, while beautiful, heavy after a while. Ebooks are super convenient and I do have a kobo that I use but there's something about a paperback and watching the bookmark travel closer to the end, that is more satisfying to me.
Kristy Cambron
Paperback: Perfect for travel, the beach, and for this ultra-traditional reader who loves the feel of a genuine book in her hands
Caitlin Buhr
I don’t listen to audiobooks because I have a hard time paying attention when I’m not looking at the page. I prefer hardback and paperback to ebooks because then I completely unplug and I can’t get distracted by other stuff on the e-reader device. I think my ultimate favorite medium is paperback because it’s not heavy in my backpack!
Camille Cabrera
I like paperbacks because they're the ideal format for a beach read. The spine tends to get cracked after several well-appreciated reads. Not ideal since I want my books to look like they just left the store. Keeping paperbacks in top condition feels like a constant challenge with my favorite novels.
Tara Laskowski
I prefer a nice trade paperback. It’s not too big or too small, and I still like the feel of a physical book in my hands.
Lucy Ashe
Paperbacks are my preference. I am not very good at keeping a book in a pristine condition, and like to annotate, bend the spine, turn the corners... A paperback lends itself well to my desire to get close and personal with a book.
Anthony Cavo
I read hardback and paperback, but especially love paperbacks. You can throw a paperback in your knapsack or carry-on, stick it in a big pocket, or shove it in a drawer. Paperbacks are tough and are not easily offended. You can write in them, turn down page corners and underline favorite passages - they take it in their stride. These are things you'd be hesitant to do in a more expensive hardcover, and there is no dust jacket to worry about ruining. Paperbacks are easy traveling companions whether you are on a bus, train, airplane or simply sitting on a beach.
Cai Emmons
Paperback. I love reading "actual" books where I can turn the pages and maybe even write in the margins. I especially love paperbacks for their portability, and there's nothing better than a paperback I can slip into my purse. I spend too much time on the computer as it is, so I am not a fan of ebooks. I do like audiobooks, but I can't seem to figure out when to listen to them unless I'm driving long distances. Then there is nothing better than an audio book to speed the journey.
Author Interview with CAuthor Interview with Cai Emmonsi Emmons
Dana Mack
Paperback, all the way. I really like the audio book of "All Things.." I found a great narrator. But I would never listen to an audio book by choice because reading is such a private experience with me; I don't want to share it. Hardback books annoy me, because they aren't pliable. I like paperbacks because I can abuse them, if I want to, with notations and creases, and even potato chip stains, and I don't feel guilty.
Maureen Morrissey
Paperback, every time! The organic feel of the paper and the weight of the book and the sound of pages turning, and whatever smell that is, take me back to sitting among the stacks at the NYC Public Library as a five year old. As a long-time elementary school teacher, I found such pleasure in sharing "hard copies" of books with kids. Now that I am also a grandmother, I cannot imagine reading an ebook to my grands either.
Paityn E. Parque
Paperback. Always. Ebooks are more convenient because I can read anywhere, but I love the real feel of books. The smell, the pages, the world I carry around in my backpack all day at school, it's the real deal. Ebooks still immerse me like physical copies would, but paperbacks just add a finishing touch digital copies could never achieve.
Kim Neville
Paperback. I love the way a physical book feels, its weight in my hands and the paper of its pages against my fingertips. In non-pandemic times, I like to carry a book with me everywhere in case I have a few minutes to read, and hardcovers are heavy, so most of the books I own are in paperback.
Kate Bromley
Paperbacks for me. I like holding a physical copy of a book and they’re light enough that I can easily keep one stashed in my bag or backpack (mom-life fun fact, having a toddler means you will almost always trek around with a freight train sized backpack at all times).
Amy Lea
Paperback!! I love the feeling of a book in your hands. Hardback often hurts my hands so paperbacks are perfect and mouldable. A close runner up would be E-books, as they're so portable, especially when you're on the go.
Thea Prieto
Paperback. I’m a more visual person and I prefer the feel of books, but I also travel frequently and somehow always need to stuff five books into my travel bag even if I’m only away for a weekend.
Christopher Parker
Paperback - I love the tactile nature of a book in my hands and they're easier to maneuver and carry around (as opposed to be hardbacks that at times can be a little heavy and unwiedly)
