Like our own bodies, books also have distinct parts; organs, matter, structure, which work together to create and maintain the system we call a book. I don't really think much about this aspect of books when I pick one up to read; just as I don't think much about what makes my feet move or my eyes blink as I go through the day.
Since I love books, I thought I would do a little bit of research and try to map the anatomy of a book. It is certainly beautiful, a piece of art in itself.
The photo here is a wonderful example of the beauty and artisanship that goes into creating a book. It is "A contemporary 15th century binding of brown calf over wooden boards, with two center and four corner bosses." Otto Vollbehr Collection, Library of Congress.
Today's hardcovers certainly suffer in comparison!
So what is there to know about a book? More than I can cover here. So I will just cover some of the basics. Books have a front and back cover - rather prosaic. The cover is part of a unit called the case components, the things that enclose the actual text components of the book. The case also includes the spine which, usually contains all, or some, of four elements in the following order: (1) author, editor, or compiler; (2) title; (3) publisher; and (4) publisher logo.
And here is where I will stop because this is all so prosaic. And if I continue I might discourage potential readers from picking up a book! For me, a book is its 'aboutness,' the font used, the feel of the paper, and all the possibilities waiting for me to begin on Page 1.
