It’s Thursday and you know what that means…another edition of Booking Through Thursday is here. This week’s question is:

• Hardcover? Or paperback?
• Illustrations? Or just text?
• First editions? Or you don’t care?
• Signed by the author? Or not?

The answer to all of the above questions is it depends.

Frankly, I prefer softcover and paperback books to hardcover, simply because they’re easier for me to hold and tote around. But, when it’s something I want to keep on bookshelf display, then it’s hardcover all the way.

I don’t much care for illustrations unless they’re done in a flavor I enjoy. There are a multitude of artistic styles and if one doesn’t speak to me, I don’t want to look at the pictures taking up precious space in my book. In that vein, I’ll have a look at the illustrated versus plain text edition before making my decision. (Sometimes, however, price can factor into the equation.)

I’m certain there are a few first edition books around here, but it’s not something I look at when I pick up the book…except when I’m purchasing a book from a thrift store. Old books are quite interesting to me and when they’re only a quarter a pop, I can’t resist. (I actually have a copy of Twain’s A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur’s Court from 1917, though not a first edition. But still…)

This may come as a shock to some of you, but I don’t actually have any autographed books (that I know if…I do have a lot of books). Getting one is on my high priority list, but I’d prefer it be from one of my favorite authors or an author who has touched me favorably with their words in some way. There you have it, my dirty little secret is out of the bag.