A lot of book covers these days are just flimsy cardboard
I think the better books are cloth bound, but thats just me.
I always cover the flimsy books with clear plastic, cos they need protection. Once they are covered they are good to go, but the clothed ones dont need extra covering, also, they are much nicer to touch.
The plastic covered ones are shiny sure, but they do become dull over time.
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