Well, that title should spike the old stats a bit. Anyhow,I read recently that the new trend is books without dust jackets. I for one am thrilled and hope the trend spreads.
I like a nice pretty picture on a dust jacket of a book as much as the next guy. However, they really do get in the way when you are trying to read. Plus the show smudges and just look bad over time. Yuck.
I mean, I love the look of old books. I’m not alone. There are places that sell old books in bulk to people to use as decoration in their homes, like pieces of furniture or something. That will not happen with today’s dust jacket books.
I don’t really think the trend will catch on because publishers are much too conservative to make this type of change, especially in this economy. Still, I can dream, right?
The Struggling Writer 
I love the idea of jacket-free hardcovers!
I hate dust-jackets. You are so right, they hamper reading. I usually take them off and throw them in the bin!
I hate dust jackets and invariably end of throwing them away. The only thing they’re good for is as a book mark.
I’ve gotten so I like the look of most mass market paperbacks these days. I like the size and the covers usually are appealing. Dust jackets only come in handy as bookmarks.