Paperback book arrived in a 'strange condition'

[Goaty Bill 2]

I have just received a paperback book. A fairly hefty one at 740 pages.

The odd thing is the fore-edge - that being the physical opposite position to the spine.

The pages have been cut very unevenly;
(polite reminder - this is not the shoe thread. comments regarding the cheap Amtico flooring are not appropriate)


and


I've never seen this before. Is this, in anyone else's experience, normal?
The vendor is uncertain and has offered to order another copy, from the US, and 'have a look'.
Of course if they are all going to be the same, I'll just save them and myself the trouble.

I have to say though, if this is 'a thing', I do not approve.
Unfortunately there does not appear to be a hard cover version of this particular edition available, new or second hand.

On the outside chance that anyone has experience of this particular book;
'In The First Circle' by Solzhenitsyn. 2009 H.T. Willets translation. uncensored.
( as being distinct from the original 1968 edition 'The First Circle'.)

[Dagenitedog]

As a printer (for my sins...), I would say that it hasn't been back cut before or after being perfect/PUR bound.
Do the 'lumps', correspond with the folded sections in the spineglue (look from above).
If so, and it's an unusual book, I'd keep it, as it will be one that 'slipped through', and worth keeping long term perhaps.

[Goaty Bill 2]

Dagenitedog said:

As a printer (for my sins...), I would say that it hasn't been back cut before or after being perfect/PUR bound.
Do the 'lumps', correspond with the folded sections in the spineglue (look from above).
If so, and it's an unusual book, I'd keep it, as it will be one that 'slipped through', and worth keeping long term perhaps.

Thanks Dagenitedog



I have just received an email from the supplier;

"This Book Is Bound with "Deckle Edge" Paper. Deckle edge books are bound with pages that are made to resemble handmade paper by applying a frayed texture to the edges. Deckle edge is an ornamental feature designed to set certain titles apart from books with machine-cut pages."

It's a very low quality paperback cover.
And the publisher seems to feel this will somehow improve it I suppose. Bah!

I guess I will be reading it 'as is'.

[Dagenitedog]

In layman terms then, they can't be bothered back cutting it as it will add a few seconds to production time.....

[Goaty Bill 2]

Dagenitedog said:

In layman terms then, they can't be bothered back cutting it as it will add a few seconds to production time.....

As I said above, it's a pretty low quality cover as well, so that's about how I would assess it 'as a layman'.
An appallingly poor presentation of an important literary work.

It was was cheap though, £13.43 for a 740 page novel.

I am just finding it difficult to believe that re-published in a new translation, by the authors only authorised translator (so a full translation required), previously censored chapters added back in and the tale updated as required to accommodate them, that there is no better new or used edition available.
Perhaps true first editions haven't hit the second hand shops yet.

[Yertis]

Can we see some more pictures of the book?

[Goaty Bill 2]

Yertis said:

Can we see some more pictures of the book?

book porn?


Any shots/angles in particular?

[Goaty Bill 2]

Apologies for my phone's camera and my lack of photographic skills;



Edit: rotated bottom image.

Edited by Goaty Bill 2 on Saturday 1st July 23:17

[Yertis]

Thanks

I actually quite like that.

But I'm a designer, and designers like that stuff.

[Goaty Bill 2]

Yertis said:

Thanks

I actually quite like that.

But I'm a designer, and designers like that horribly impractical stuff.

FTFY

Okay, in fairness, I see your point, and I suppose then by definition, theirs too.

However, it really is horribly impractical as far as I can tell, as the paper already seems to be suffering somewhat.
Also, it would have helped had they not been so cheap with the cover. It's horribly thin and weak. I have a natural disinclination towards paperbacks in any case, most especially when it comes to classics, 'serious' literature and academic works.

Anyway, if you like it - buy it - read it. Solzhenitsyn never disappoints, and he is much easier to read than Dostoevsky, though some have argued, in these very threads in fact, that Dostoevsky leads one by the hand a bit too much.

I really must begin a thread on 'Those Russians'.

[Yertis]

I admit to lacking the intellect required to engage with that type of book – too many words.

[Goaty Bill 2]

Yertis said:

I admit to lacking the intellect required to engage with that type of book – too many words.

Nonsense

And in any case, Solzhenitsyn's novels are very accessible to us average folk.
This one is broken down into 96 chapters. One little 'challenge' at a time!

[Yertis]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

Nonsense

And in any case, Solzhenitsyn's novels are very accessible to us average folk.
This one is broken down into 96 chapters. One little 'challenge' at a time!

Hmmm... OK. I'll see if it's on our shelves at home.

[footnote]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

I have just received a paperback book. A fairly hefty one at 740 pages.

The odd thing is the fore-edge - that being the physical opposite position to the spine.

The pages have been cut very unevenly;
(polite reminder - this is not the shoe thread. comments regarding the cheap Amtico flooring are not appropriate)


and


I've never seen this before. Is this, in anyone else's experience, normal?
The vendor is uncertain and has offered to order another copy, from the US, and 'have a look'.
Of course if they are all going to be the same, I'll just save them and myself the trouble.

I have to say though, if this is 'a thing', I do not approve.
Unfortunately there does not appear to be a hard cover version of this particular edition available, new or second hand.

On the outside chance that anyone has experience of this particular book;
'In The First Circle' by Solzhenitsyn. 2009 H.T. Willets translation. uncensored.
( as being distinct from the original 1968 edition 'The First Circle'.)

This is not unusual on American editions. I've got lots like this.

I always like finding these editions in secondhand shops and although they're fairly rare over here (being US editions) it doesn't indicate anything more than that.

I really like that form of binding. They usually have a different type of cover paper too which gives the whole book a worn, characterful quality.

[Goaty Bill 2]

footnote said:

This is not unusual on American editions. I've got lots like this.

I always like finding these editions in secondhand shops and although they're fairly rare over here (being US editions) it doesn't indicate anything more than that.

I really like that form of binding. They usually have a different type of cover paper too which gives the whole book a worn, characterful quality.

hmm....

I appreciate the insight, and to each their own, but I'm still not a fan.
The cover paper, as mentioned, was thin and flimsy as well.
Wonderfully written book with great historical value, spoiled as an object by a silly choice IMO. In fairness it was pretty cheap for a new 740 page paperback though (£13.53 incl. shipping).
There just didn't seem to be a hard cover edition anywhere in this second, much revised edition.
I will just have to hide it behind the lovely hard cover first edition on the bookshelf.

[footnote]

Goaty Bill 2 said:

footnote said:

This is not unusual on American editions. I've got lots like this.

I always like finding these editions in secondhand shops and although they're fairly rare over here (being US editions) it doesn't indicate anything more than that.

I really like that form of binding. They usually have a different type of cover paper too which gives the whole book a worn, characterful quality.

hmm....

I appreciate the insight, and to each their own, but I'm still not a fan.
The cover paper, as mentioned, was thin and flimsy as well.
Wonderfully written book with great historical value, spoiled as an object by a silly choice IMO. In fairness it was pretty cheap for a new 740 page paperback though (£13.53 incl. shipping).
There just didn't seem to be a hard cover edition anywhere in this second, much revised edition.
I will just have to hide it behind the lovely hard cover first edition on the bookshelf.

That's an interesting quantity ttheory of value you're working there...

How much would you pay for A day in the life...

Seriously though, it's always an issue when you're buying for collectabilty over literary value or object over content.

Some books I buy in a similar way, a first edition to keep and a paperback to read.
It's a shame you don't like the American editions - I love the 'bendiness' and just general novelty of them.

[Goaty Bill 2]

footnote said:

That's an interesting quantity ttheory of value you're working there...

How much would you pay for A day in the life...

Seriously though, it's always an issue when you're buying for collectabilty over literary value or object over content.

Some books I buy in a similar way, a first edition to keep and a paperback to read.
It's a shame you don't like the American editions - I love the 'bendiness' and just general novelty of them.

I paid considerably more for my hard cover first UK edition Ivan Denisovich of course
I take your point on my apparent 'value for money by page count' statement. Certainly not the way anything is priced in this world these days.

I found the 'bendiness' was quite an impediment to reading comfortably, especially in the early chapters.
It's a bloody big book - a full 9" x 6".
It was like a live thing trying to escape from me half the time, while I constantly wrestled with it.

Probably, the honest truth is; I'm just annoyed that it's my only Solzhenitsyn that isn't in hard cover.

[footnote]

Gollancz with the yellow jacket?
Nice.

[Goaty Bill 2]

footnote said:

Gollancz with the yellow jacket?
Nice.

It is the Gollancz edition. In reasonably good condition, though I imagine the paper dust jacket was a brighter yellow when new,

Of course when I say 'considerably more', I was referring to the price per page: £0.12 per page vs. £0.018 per page

[Goaty Bill 2]

So continuing with this theme, I was less surprised to receive yet another book in 'strange condition'



Recipe for such effect to be accomplished correctly?
Retain book in your private family library for 120 years.
Ensure that several generations read the book in question. Preferably more than once.
Sell book.


Beautiful tatty old thing