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Trade paperbacks, whats the point?

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  • 23-10-2009 4:10pm
    #1
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭


    I'm waiting to read Iain Banks new book transition, but I have to wait for the mass production paper back, cause I hate the big trade paperbacks. Whats the point in them? I can understand, years ago, maybe they took the printed pages left over from a hardback run, and sold then with softback, but alot novels now don’t have hardback editions. Do people still want trade paperback format? Personally I find them to big and akward, at least compared to a smaller mass produced paperback.

    Its enough to push a man to ebooks. :eek:


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    #2
    MikeC101
    Registered Users Posts: 1,707 ✭✭✭MikeC101


    I'm convinced, at times, they exist solely to irritate me.

    All the problems of a hardback, as you've said, big, bulky, heavy, but without the decent protective cover.

    Plus points? Bigger font might appeal to some readers, plus usually higher quality paper.

    I think they now exist as a middle point, where publishers can make higher profits than on mass market paperbacks, but still sell them cheaper than a hardback.


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    #3
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    While I like the bigger print/spacing etc (tiny print wrecks my head on the train) they are a PITA to cart around with you.

    And of course cost 30-40% more than a normal paperback.

    eBooks? Never!


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    #4
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    Yea, and not only is the print bigger, which I dont like, but lines are further spaces apart, and more blank border around each page


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    #5
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    Dades wrote: »
    While I like the bigger print/spacing etc (tiny print wrecks my head on the train) they are a PITA to cart around with you.

    And of course cost 30-40% more than a normal paperback.

    eBooks? Never!

    I dont know, Im starting to come around to the idea. If its wasnt for the horrible page refresh, I think id allready be gone electronic


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    #6
    eclectichoney
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,291 ✭✭✭eclectichoney


    TPBs were originally designed as an export edition because hardbacks were too expensive with the rate of sterling. Most titles in trade (with the exception of irish published titles like Poolbeg) will also actually be available in hardback usually, but shops may only carry 1 or 2 copies as the TPB is cheaper so most people go for that. There is usually a 9 month or so lag between hardback/trade and small format. It is essentially because they can charge more for the hb/tpb.

    But yeah, I hate them too.


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    #7
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    arah feck, thanks for the explaintion eclectic honey. Means ill be waitin another 7 months for transition, the same way I had to wait 9 months to read Matter.


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    #8
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    I'm about 3 books behind you with Iain M Banks stuff - only got started this year. :)


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    #9
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    Yea, I was like that last year, only started reading his stuff then and flew through it. Have you read excession yet, by far the best (imo)


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    #10
    Damian Duffy
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭Damian Duffy


    I cant stand them, i refuse to buy them. I have only every made one exception and that was a few weeks ago when i bought Nick Caves "The Death of Bunny Munro" because I was really looking forward to reading it.

    It's excellent for anyone who cares to know!


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    #11
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    thats the thing, its always the good recently released stuff, that you've been waiting for released in trade. This is whats motivating my possible move to ebooks.

    Is it Bunny Munro good, yea? the view on RTE slated it.
    In any case, its not my cup of tea


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    #12
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    oxygen wrote: »
    Its enough to push a man to ebooks. :eek:

    Come on man! *Slap* Listen to yourself!


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    #13
    Damian Duffy
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭Damian Duffy


    oxygen wrote: »
    thats the thing, its always the good recently released stuff, that you've been waiting for released in trade. This is whats motivating my possible move to ebooks.

    Is it Bunny Munro good, yea? the view on RTE slated it.
    In any case, its not my cup of tea

    It definately wouldn't be everyones cup of tea, it usually isn't mine actually but I love Nick Cave's music and his lyrics are brilliant...so naturally I was looking forward to his book and subsequently enjoyed it.

    To be fair, the view on RTE havn't a clue. I wouldn't listen to an opinion from someone on RTE for...well, anything really.

    I havnt really looked into ebooks that much, I will always love having the physical book and I like seeing my book shelves grow and how they develope with my tastes.

    A few people have said to me it's great having all your books with you on one small device, which is a fair and valid point and it's for this logic that I love my ipod. But unlike with books, my music preference will change by the minute and my mood swings and I change the song accordingly. But, are you ever going to be reading more than one book at a time? What's the point of having hundreds of books (most of which would of cost you more than a mass market paperback) on one device when realisticly you are only going to read one at a time? Are you going to be half way through a novel, sitting on the bus and suddenly think, I'm going to read something else now? I just don't think books work like that.

    Buy one. Read one. Put it on your shelf. Start another. It's how I work anyway but maybe people would like access to hundreds ( reviewers, journalists)? I don't know. I just don't want to see the paperback die.


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    #14
    Dades
    Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 25,558 Mod ✭✭✭✭Dades


    oxygen wrote: »
    Yea, I was like that last year, only started reading his stuff then and flew through it. Have you read excession yet, by far the best (imo)
    Was in the middle of reading Excession until last week I got the urge to read Frank Herbert's Dune! If I'm honest I wasn't enjoying it half as much as I did the last one (Against a Dark Background). Maybe just needed a Banks-break - had read 4 in a row.

    Regarding eBooks, I've never actually tested one, though I'd have a mental block against them. Sitting in front of a screen all day I long to read words on paper.


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    #15
    Damian Duffy
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭Damian Duffy


    Whilst people are on the subject of Iain Banks, I have read " The Wasp Factory" and enjoyed it alot. Was going to read another one of his and was going to go for "The Crow Road", is that a good move or has anybody got any better suggestions?


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    #16
    Funglegunk
    Registered Users Posts: 1,566 ✭✭✭Funglegunk


    Dades wrote: »
    Was in the middle of reading Excession until last week I got the urge to read Frank Herbert's Dune! If I'm honest I wasn't enjoying it half as much as I did the last one (Against a Dark Background). Maybe just needed a Banks-break - had read 4 in a row.

    Regarding eBooks, I've never actually tested one, though I'd have a mental block against them. Sitting in front of a screen all day I long to read words on paper.

    Yayyy, I love Iain M. Banks. Have you read Player of Games yet?

    EDIT: On topic, I own a trade paperback of Matter. I'll be doing the same as the OP and will wait for the mass production paperback of Banks' next book. And, Matter was very disappointing!


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    #17
    SeekUp
    Registered Users Posts: 1,072 ✭✭✭SeekUp


    Also, not all books go through the hardcover, tpb, pb progression. Some only come out in tpb and then go to pb a year later, and some books that come out as hardcovers won't go to a pb after the tpb is published. Probably just has to do with the amount of money publishers think they'll make versus the cost of printing the different editions. *shrug*


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    #18
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,256 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    Dades wrote: »
    Regarding eBooks, I've never actually tested one, though I'd have a mental block against them. Sitting in front of a screen all day I long to read words on paper.

    I also use monitors all day, and the book reader feels nothing like looking at a monitor. It's a very different type of technology to a computer screen. I use reading glasses with a normal LCD PC screen, but don't need one for books or my ebook reader.
    oxygen wrote:
    I dont know, Im starting to come around to the idea. If its wasnt for the horrible page refresh, I think id allready be gone electron

    I got used to it in no time, it doesn't feel that much slower than changing the pages on a real book and having to focus your eyes on the other side of the book.

    To get back on topic, I don't like the large formats either - especially as I travel with work frequently enough and I hate carrying around more than I have to. I can also double stack my small novels at home, but can't with the big ones.


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    #19
    Valmont
    Registered Users Posts: 5,856 ✭✭✭Valmont


    I've been reading my whole life and I have never heard of a TPB much less went to purchase a book and thought "Oh no! They only have this type!"

    If it's a book you want to read I don't see how a misshapen book would really have a bearing on whether you buy it or not.


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    #20
    Damian Duffy
    Registered Users Posts: 266 ✭✭Damian Duffy


    You must of heard of a trade paperback, they are the ugly misshapen ones that dont have the durability of a hardcover nor the compactness of a normal paperback. They just look ugly, look **** on a shelf, are annoying to read because of the large font and wide spaces between lines and are more expensive. (Generally) Typically, a trade paperback is what you would see in a book shop top ten chart or new releases section as it's a relatively new book. A normal paperback is your typical penguin classics sized book. Usually found in general fiction sections etc...


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    #21
    Eoin
    Registered Users Posts: 21,256 ✭✭✭✭Eoin


    And they use up more space, meaning less room for other books. My bookshelves can take two stacked standard size books books or one large book. Carting around larger books is also a pain when you travel a bit.


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    #22
    Denerick
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 6,488 ✭✭✭Denerick


    I got Robert Harris' latest book the other day ('Lustrum', a sequel to 'Imperium') and I have to say I was extremely miffed about having to shell out 14 dabs for a book halfway between a hardback and a paperback! The only justification there can possibly be is that schmucks like me are willing to pay the extra fiver for a 'guilty' pleasure. (Because authors like Harris will never make it onto a Leaving cert curriculum)

    I have to say i don't really mind now I have it though. 14 euros for a glimpse into the political intrigues of the Roman Republic? Bargain.


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    #23
    rejkin
    Registered Users Posts: 890 ✭✭✭rejkin


    I hate tpb's, they are way to big for reading comfortably and they cost a lot more, I dont see why they can't release the normal size paper back as an option. Sure most people (I presume) would buy the smaller version, when I worked in a book store a year ago the tbp version would always have tonnes of copies sent back to the publisher, what a waste


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    #24
    CuLT
    Subscribers Posts: 9,716 ✭✭✭CuLT


    I've never heard the phrase "trade paperback", but I'm certainly familiar with the concept, unfortuantely :)

    Own a few of them, have already repurchased some in normal paperback form out of sheer irritation.


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    #25
    oxygen_old
    Closed Accounts Posts: 897 ✭✭✭oxygen_old


    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paperback

    As per wikipedia, it seems the reason they exist, is for publishers to make a lager profit margin on the first run of a book, which may not turn out to be a massive seller.


    Large profit of margin on a limited number of hard backs. then,
    Smaller profit margin on less limited number of trade paper backs. then, if its a big seller,
    Smaller profit margin on a larger number of mas market paper backs (to be sold in Airports, tesco's, etc)

    So publishers make the trade's bigger so they can charge us more. Ive no problem with paying more for a new book. When a new book by an author Im waiting for comes out, Im not going to start arguing with anyone for 6-8 euro. But why give it to me in such a crap format, unless the theory is that I will return to buy the paperback, as I have done.


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