While acknowledging that we can’t judge books by their covers, how much does the design of a book affect your reading enjoyment? Hardcover vs. softcover? Trade paperback vs. mass market paperback? Font? Illustrations? Etc.?

In generel, I prefer hardbacks to paperbacks and the large paperbacks (I guess those are called trade paperbacks) to the regular (mass market?) ones. There are a couple of reasons for this, all of which are related. First, I can read while knitting if the pattern is easy, but I can’t hold books open and knit. Hardbacks and the trade paperbacks will hold themselves open given the tiniest bit of help. Mass market paperbacks won’t do this. Second, there are more words per page in the larger format books, so I have to reach down less often to turn the page. Third, the fonts are larger so that I can comfortably read with the book sitting beside me on the couch as opposed to held in my hands.

The fonts don’t usually affect my reading decisions, though I prefer bookman on the computer. Illustrations likewise.

BTW, if you are coming through on the BTT wagon, I finally finished Matrimony, and you can find my review in the post under this one.