Form and Function Part 2: Ex 1 The function of books, Book terminology

 Identify a range of books that have fundamentally different functions in terms of how these books are engaged with - how they’re held, where they’re read, by whom, and for what purpose. Try to look at least six books, but you can extend this if you want to. The differences between these books might be determined by their genres. For example, you might look at a cookery book, a biography of a sports personality, a travel guide, a work of historical fiction, a teenage film tie-in like Twilight, this course guide – the choice is yours.

I collected some books and had a look to see if they reflected their function, I picked 8 different types of books and looked at each of their features. These are the things I gathered:

• Function
• Front cover
• Page extent
• Paper quality
• Typeface
• Weight
• Imagery
• Front and end Matter

First book is a travel guide specifically The tour of Mont Blanc - complete two way trekking guide by Kev Reynold

  

 Function: Travel guide for trekking through Mont Blanc, small so it can fit in a pocket or a bag. The book is covered with a plastic case I’m assuming so the books doesn’t easily get wet or stained with anything.

Front cover: Shows an image of mountains with a hiker. Clear writing with white text on blue background

Page extent: 236 pages

Paper quality: Pages are thick, white and a bit glossy, maybe around 130gsm-150gsm. Pages are more durable than a regular book. The pages are quite flexible which is good for outdoor quick reading.

Typeface: Simple, clear, and large for titles. Typeface is consistent throughout.

Weight: Although the pages are quite think it is pocket size so is quite light

Imagery: Has photography of different parts of the mountain range and maps and certain points. Acts almost like a tour guide accompanied with writing.

Front and end Matter: the front there were only 3 pages before the book began and a 12-page appendix at the back with one last map.

 

Look- David Bailey

      Photography/ Biography book

Function: Showcasing photography of David Bailey as well as talking a bit about his life and career.

Front cover: A black and white photograph of a boy looking the opposite way to the writing behind him. Black, white and greys stand out and its modern and minimalistic, keeps the focus on the image.

Page extent:125 pages

Paper quality: The pages are about 90gsm in thickness not to thick not to thin, quite standard.

Typeface: Type face looks like the type you see when looking at computer code, I found a similar called Cascadia Code SemiLight

Weight: lightweight as its quite small but the jacket is hardback

Imagery: There is photography on almost every page sometimes on both pages with no writing. Some in colour some in black and white. There is a mixture of models and celebrities as well as some backstories.

Front and end Matter: Only 2 pages at the beginning and one black page at the back

 

 

The Bible- King James versions

Function: Religious text for Catholics, includes teaching of Jesus and the word of God. Usually kept for people in the faith as well as being preached in a church setting.

Front cover: Simple black leather hardback but it is bendable not sold. Comes in a case to keep condition fresh.

Page extent:1145 pages

Paper quality: The pages are very thin almost see through. I’d day the thickness is about 70-80gsm. The edge of each of the pages are gold dipped so when closed it looks like the pages are gold.

Typeface: Throughout the writing is pretty small with the odd bold sentences or titles. It is pretty standard text like a times new roman.

Weight: light weight as it not very big.

Imagery: Doesn’t have any images other then illustrated maps at the back where the stories are located or the showing the journeys the people in the stories.

Front and end Matter: Five pages in the front, four back

 

 

Collector/ series books Game of thrones – George R R Martin

Function: For entertainment to tell an in-depth fantasy story with its own lore, creatures, royalty, and battles between different families for power. Decorative also looks nice on a bookshelf.

Front cover: silver and gold embellishment/foil or printed edges. very clean and aesthetically pleasing. Little gold wolves and bucks on each corner reflects the families crests within the book. It’s a hard back collectors edition so they’re all the same designs just different crest mascots on each.

Page extent: 848 pages

Paper quality: paper is standard uncoated paper about 90gsm.

Typeface: looks like a times new roman or a standard clear text. There are also medieval looking typefaces dotted about like on the maps reflecting the era in which they’re set.

Weight: They are quite hefty in size and considering they are hardbacks they are fairly heavy not very easy carrying about.

Imagery: There are a few illustrations as well as coloured maps to help with the visuals of the stories.

Front and end Matter: 8 in the front, 3 at the end.

 

  

      Now and Then- Gil Scott- Heron

Function: Is a collection of poems

Front cover: Candid shot of the Jazz poet, singer, musician and author of the book. Black background roughly faded into the photograph like its been painted. White text and red for the name of the book.

Page extent: 118 pages

Paper quality: standard book paper 80gsm, untreated

Typeface: standard text Times new roman possibly

Weight: lightweight around A5 in size paper back

Imagery: There is no pictures in this book.

Front and end Matter: 3 front, 2 back.

 

Fiction book- Vince Flynn pursuit of honour

Function: Tells a story for entertainment

Front cover: Strong cover, stormy orange clouds in the desert with two almost silhouette men one chasing the other down a trail. Reflects the saying on the front ‘On the trail of the traitor within’.

Page extent: 445 pages

Paper quality: Standard untreated paper, 80-120 gsm

Typeface: standard text times new roman

Weight: Lightweight as it’s a paperback with thin pages.

Imagery: There’s no images in this book other than the front cover and back.

Front and end Matter: there is 8 pages in the front and 8 in the back.

 

 Book terminology research

 ‘how do the various structural elements could be modified to reflect the book’s function.’

book terminology research

1. Head top part of spine on top of book (colour and thread changes for aesthetic purposes)

2. Spine is the thin back/side of the book (writing can be added to be the stand alone title and author or as an additional place other the front cover, raised band and details also can be added again for aesthetic purposes.)

3. tail bottom part of the spine of the book (same as the head, the thread and colour can be changed.)

4. Pages/leaves: the printed pages are usually folded into signatures, before sewing or gluing together to form the book block. (Page thickness can be changed for durability, aesthetic, price and how well they could be binded and easily bent when being read.)

5. Book block: the main block of pages created when book pages are sewn or glued together before binding. (This can be painted a colour to give the illusion the pages are that colour. Or like a dictionary can have blobs of colour to show sections. Also protects pages)

6. Board: rigid material for the covers of hardback books. Board is usually covered with leather, paper, or cloth. (These won’t be seen usually as they’re for structure.)

 7. Cover: hardback books usually have an outer casing made from board which wraps around the text block, protecting the pages. (Writing, imagery and printed or stamped details can be added for a nicer design and a more expensive look too. Also protects inside pages)