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?

MOLOCH, you make some good points.

But economics doesn't change desire.
There are some publishers that still deal exclusively with fine, hardbound books (the Folio Society being one), but they print nothing on more esoteric studies.

I have indeed considered having my own work bound, and copy and recopy my work until each page is absolutely perfect, but alas, it will be awhile, as I only have 120 pages or so.

I guess in a way, people's love of money is the downfall of quality. They only want to buy the cheapest things, and the manufacturers have to cater to that because otherwise, they won't sell the top-shelf stuff except to people of taste.

Can a printers make a paperback into a hardcover?

I'm sure I've seen empty hardcovers, all you'd need is the writing on the cover of the book. Not to make your own, talkign about turning your paperback collection into a hardcover one.