Dissappointed In Book Quality Lately? Options

Is anyone here besides me, dissappointed in the quality of books being put out today. I'm not referring to their content (although you seem to be getting less and less of that also), but more in terms of construction. I know most occult books don't sell in volume to warrant the nice, hardbound tome of a book we all (most?) yearn after as a way of connecting with the scribes of antiquity, but it seems even the nicer-looking "perfect bound" books fall apart rather quickly. I still have books from the seventies I've had since they were new that are still in fairly good shape. I even have some of my mother's books from the 40's that are not damaged. yet, I find that new books I buy have only about a 50% chance of surviving the first reading.

Anyone else come across this problem?

Sadly true. Many narrow focus books are pod or digital printed now, not stocked. Other bigger sellers (like Modern Magick, for example), go to second editions that seem decently put together. But hard back is the way to go. My original MAGICK IN THEORY AND PRACTICE is thirty some-odd years old. The cover is gone, but the cloth is intact, if dirty, and it's been used endlessly. I like to shop for reference books (if they've been around awhile) at used bookstores online, especially ones that honestly rate condition (like Alibris). But, new books, I assume they'll be cheap unless they're hard cover or they have a decent Amazon rating (indicating some volume, and probably better quality). I also find newer books on specialized subjects getting thinner and thinner, and not just in page weight.