Why no hardcovers?

[Mark Kohut]

I've got a GR story and I've always wondered abou tthat myself and I'm
going to see if anyone I know, seems to know...
 

________________________________
 From: Paul Mackin <mackin.paul at verizon.net>
To: pynchon-l at waste.org 
Sent: Wednesday, June 27, 2012 10:49 AM
Subject: Re: Why no hardcovers?
  
On 6/27/2012 9:43 AM, Bekah wrote:
> On Jun 26, 2012, at 12:59 PM, Jordan Hunnicutt wrote:
>
>> I happened to notice that a couple of titles of Pynchon's library, Crying of Lot 49 and Gravity's Rainbow, and much of Cormac McCarthy's library don't have hardcovers in print among others I'm sure.  Why is this?  These are popular writers, that's why I'm puzzled by this.  I happened to spot a weathered hardcover copy of GR in my local library and I was tempted to check it out and "lose" it.
>
> I used to buy hard covers regularly if the paperback wasn't out yet.   I still do if there are photos or maps,  etc.  I want in larger scale than the Kindle version (even on iPad).  I think very few people buy hard covers if there are quality soft covers readily available.  I'll buy the non-fiction hard covers if they'll be an addition to my "collection"  otherwise I'd really just as soon get a paperback of some sort because hard covers are just too darn hard to tote around and arrange for reading.  They're too heavy.
Bekah--Your preference for quality soft covers when available reminds me 
of the 1973 release of GR.  An order of magnitude more people must have 
bought the soft cover than the hard, which helps explain why collectors 
pay more for the latter.  (other reason is the softs fall apart--mine 
sure did) But what I'm wondering is who made the decision do it this 
way.  It was an unusual way to go. Was it an experiment to see the 
bottom line effect?  Did TP have a role?  Don't suppose anyone knows, 
but I do wonder.

P
>
> In the last few years I've bought the following hard covers:
>
> Steve Jobs by Walter Isaacson -  that purchase was an accident - I meant to get the Kindle version.
> The Greater Journey by David McCullough because I wanted to get those big glossy art photos.   I found out later that they are included in the Kindle version.
> The Prague Cemetery by Umberto Eco - pre-order - Kindle not available
> Travels in Siberia by Ian Frazier - no paperback or Kindle available
> Apollo's Angels by Jennifer Homans - no Kindle version - 1st edition -
>
> I'm going away for several weeks in July-August.  I've done this vacation for years.  There are very few bookstores  where I go,  so I  used to have to an tote extra bag just for books.  Then I got the Kindle and I was in heaven.  This year I'm bringing maybe one paperback book and my iPad and I've got libraries available to me to download.
>
> I have hard covers of Against the Day and Inherent Vice  (both pre-orders so 1st editions? - probably not)  - AtD is very beat up because I don't "play nice" with books - hard cover or not.   I've got a hard cover of Catherine the Great by Robert Massie here - another pre-order - (heh).
>
> Bekah
>
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