One thinks of a book, and what comes to mind is the format we already know. A beautiful and simple thing, linear, with pages that turn in a certain way… in short, all books are quite similar. Except for children’s books, which tend to overflow with imagination depending on the budget, it is normal for a book to stand out for its content, not its design.
But in this age of the internet and ePubs, with videos, podcasts, transmedia projects, fan content, and everything else competing for the user’s interest, the book as we know it sometimes isn’t enough.
So this entry is about beautiful and interesting volumes, but from a visual standpoint, from the originality of the design and the user experience they provide to the reader.
This post stems from the following publication, which I found (and shared) around Nov. 2023 on Facebook:
“I am reading the most amazing book I have ever had in my hands. It is titled Ship of Theseus, supposedly written by a mysterious V.M. Straka, and it is actually an incredible literary game. The book, extraordinarily edited, in hardcover, with yellowed pages as if it were an old book (it is supposed to be published in New York in 1949) comes inside that beautiful black box, well sealed. It is supposed to belong to a library (it has all the stamps) and two users of that library, a man and a woman, both scholars of the enigmatic Straka, are reading it and leaving notes in the margins as messages to each other, although they do not know each other (at least for now, I have not finished reading it yet). Among the pages of the book are various materials related to the plot, a photocopy of a document, postcards, etc. My favorite is a map drawn on a bar napkin!!! The reading of this formidable artifact is winding and adventurous, because you have to follow the text of the book, first a critical introduction of the text, then Straka’s work, and all this is commented on by the margin notes that in turn change the meaning of what you read and add another plot. Not only is it unusual and incredibly fun to follow the game, but it is also a true editorial work of art. It is published by Duomo, whom I applaud from here for this very complex, delicate, beautiful, and extremely difficult artistic piece. It goes on sale on October 30th, and I think it will be a fantastic Christmas gift.”
Of course, I went to look at the photos shared by the author of the post. Just look at this marvel.
That reminded me that, also at the end of 2023, the Pride and Prejudice fan club was collectively drooling over a special edition in English (I recently saw a reel commenting on a similar one in Spanish, but the English version looked more interesting) which, among other details, stood out for having the 19 letters that appear throughout the book, and I quote:
“The letters have been carefully recreated, with attention to historical details, and are ready for you to take out of the pockets, unfold, and read. An absolute work of art, this luxury Pride and Prejudice edition would be a delightful gift for a Pride and Prejudice fan, and something to treasure for years to come.”
The letters come in their sealed envelopes, in handwritten format, each with a different handwriting depending on the character who writes them, with a quill pen, my goodness, what a beauty.
And what about Fahrenheit 451?
“The new prototype of ‘Fahrenheit 451,’ created at the Jan van Eyck Academie, a research institute known for its experiments with different materials, does exactly the opposite of the original version: you have to burn the paper to read the novel. In this special edition of Bradbury’s work, which is expected to be published in 2018, the pages of the book appear completely darkened, but when exposed to heat, the ink disappears and the text is revealed.”
Can you imagine something like that? Such a perfect way to capture the reader’s attention, playing with the very essence of the work.
So, with the obsessive passion that characterizes me when I like something, I set out to find other examples of curious and interesting books, and by asking on my Facebook, I found other examples, which I will mention in another post tomorrow. Meanwhile, have a happy day everyone!