Books bound with stiff covers made of cardboard and cloth or leather, as opposed to paperback books.
Combines 'hard' (Old English 'heard') with 'back' (Old Norse 'bak'), referring to the rigid spine and covers of such books.
Hardbacks are significantly more expensive to produce than paperbacks, which is why publishers release hardcover editions first to maximize profits before releasing cheaper paperback versions six months to a year later.
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