But ultimately, e-books are win: you can read them on your phone, tablet, ipad, and an e-reader : and when it comes time to pack up and move, it's 1000x lighter. Convenience is win (after all, if you have at least 3 of the above mentioned things; then battery isn't an issue ;o) I /love/ the digital age.

I definitely prefer a book to an ebook, although ebooks are good for when traveling.

Due to price reasons I usually buy paperbacks.  The book is virtually the same and it costs less.  Unless it is a special edition or has high quality images or is a special book I love…then I go for the hardcover.

For older books that might not have an electronic version I'll pick up a second-hand paperback version so my hardback can stay in nice condition on the bookshelf.

Once I get an e-reader I'm sure that'll become a competitor, but for now I'm an all-Canadian paperback.

Check out http://www.nifty.org/nifty/ if you haven't seen it. Essentially a huge collection of erotic stories by amateurs. Some really suck badly, but some are pretty good.

Also, audio books can be interesting. There's audio versions that you can find (used to at any rate) that are not simply read, but are done pretty much like a radio play with various actors and sound effects. You really have no idea what you've missed until you hear a good radio play. It is no wonder that earlier families would gather 'round and stare at the radio. "Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" was originally a radio program before it became a book. This type of radio is awesome!!_