A book is basically a medium for recording data in the form of text or graphics, usually written on many sheets bound together with a cover and closed at the bottom. The technical term for the binding also is codex. In English, a book may be published as a single book containing a bound text on one side and a photographic or art image on the other side. A single volume may be a single manuscript only or may comprise a series of manuscripts of varying sizes and compositions. The printed version of a book is called a hardback while a softback version contains a leather cover and is open at the top. A paperback has a similar cover but is not considered to be a hardback.
The term of a book covers the complete text and images together in a bound form from front to back. The table of contents appears at the beginning of each chapter and lists the pages within the book as well as the page number in which they are printed. It is the means of organizing and recording the readers’ progress through the text.
A preface consists of the introductory portion of a book and usually lists the author and publisher of the book and the date of publication. It may also indicate whether the book is intended for general distribution or is a limited-edition collection. The preface usually ranks next after the foreword in the sequence of the principal text. The foreword, usually on the left, precedes the main text and is written mostly to welcome the reader and provide a review of the text. The preface, on the right, follows and is usually written to justify the author’s expectations concerning the nature of the book and to set up the detailed arguments for the conclusion of the work.
A prologue is usually written towards the end of a book and provides an insight into the author’s thought process and the main theme of the book. It usually appears near the end of a chapter or after the final chapter and is written in small print at the beginning of the next volume. A full title page with a pencil or other indicating device is placed at the beginning of every book. The full title page always precedes and accompanies the first chapter of each book.
Dedication is an introduction to the book by someone other than the author. It is also called the dedication page. The dedication is usually written in a way that leaves the reader with a sense of pride and accomplishment after reading the book. The dedication page usually looks like a block of text on the foreword or preface of the book and may include a quote, poem or phrase that summarizes the theme of the book.
A prologue is a short introductory note inserted into a book to give an overview of what the body of the book is about. Every book has a Prologue, whether it is written in English or some other language. The prologue does not usually contain a detailed story but contains only a broad summary of the main story. The prologue gives an idea of what the book’s subject matter is and may suggest what the author intends the reader to learn by reading the book. Every book has a Prologue.
The copyright page appears at the beginning of every book and lists the owner of the copyright, which can be the author, the translator, or an organization such as UNESCO. The copyright page usually includes a statement that the work has been duly deposited with the Copyright Office. The dedication page usually gives a short description of the contents and a notice that the pages are copyrighted. The preface usually includes information that helps the reader understand the author’s purpose for writing the book and gives a brief sketch of the history of the book.
The acknowledgements page is usually located after the dedication page and includes a list of acknowledgments. It includes acknowledgment to the editor, translator, proofreader, printers and publishers. The introduction of a book completes the text and is the section that leaves most readers wondering what to do next. All the chapters are described in the introduction. The epigraph is used to mark the end of each book.