What is a Book? (Part 1)

I guess you can have an e - book, but I don't find those much fun to read.

For me -- I want the book to be bound...hard or soft cover is fine, but I like the smell of new hardcover books better. The amt. of pages doesn't matter to me. I don't care what kind of text as long as I can read and enjoy it. I want my book to be book shape and in good or mint condition. It's sad to see books that have been abused.

Does this help Flit?

A book is a collection of thoughts on any subject, of any length, shared by someone that comes in many shapes, sizes and mediums written in whatever text the author so chooses. Many think of a book as something standard like is found on a library shelf, but they aren't limited to be that way. As long as someone writes it...and someone reads it...it can be considered a book.

it does so, Jax... and so does your input, Rob.

By reads it ... does that mean that it must have text?

Must a book be bound?
It doesn't need to be bound in the traditional manner, but it should have the ability to retain it's continuity and thus logical progression of the theme, subject or story line. As long as the reader can pick it up and say "Oh, this part comes after this part or this part proceeds this part."
What shape should it be?
Shape doesn't matter as long as it doesn't interfere with the goal the author has set forth for the book. Form after function.
Must it have pages? How many? What material(s) can they be made of?
If it doesn't it's either a scroll or a poster.
I honestly don't know what the difference in page counts between a pamphlet, brochure or a book would be. They could all take book form, but there should be some printing/publishing rule on this.
Text?
I've seen several "coffee table" graphic portfolio type books that have no text, save the title on the cover.
Numbers?
As far as the content goes no.
If you can retain the continuity of the story line and whatever system of binding then you really don't need page numbers. I've used systems of geometric shape and color progressions for some things.

I've always referred to a bound version as a book; an unbound version as a manuscript.
I prefer it to be rectangular or square. I think it would be kinda hard to read a round book.
I do like paper pages and less than 400 pages. hah!
Text would be helpful.
Numbers only for pages numbering.

I don't like e-books. I do not see the fascination some people have with kindle readers. I want a good old-fashioned book. I am surprised they are not pushing electronic books in schools, someday they will. Then, when children grow up with e-books, paper books may become relics of the past.

children's books can be round, or odd shapes though?

Oh, yes, I wasn't thinking about children's books. They can be any shape. I had some odd shaped ones when I was a kid. I was particularly fond of one that all the pages were very heavy cardboard, had animal photos with holes around the animal figure, and it came with colored string or yarn to thread through those holes. It was very neat! Too bad I don't still have it.

OK, a professional bibliographer and librarian's opinion. ;-) Book in the wide sense of the word is first and foremost a complicated semiotic system whose main purpose is to fix different kinds of information in the form of text and/or illustrations. Material - anything you wish. Clay, papyrus, stone... On every other question, the answer is "no" - remember, for example, Mesopotamian tablets, ancient scrolls, or our Russian texts on birch bark.

Blessings and best wishes - S.

I can't add anything to the above comments, Flit. They pretty well sum it up.

so ... is the object in the picture there a book?

Having read the above I find I do not have something to add except I find more pleasure in reading a book, than in listening to a book on tape/CD. I do not like to read books on-line, I prefer pages.

I don't think it should be growing....I think I missed the point!

I'd forgotten audio books (and I shouldn't have because they work best for Lee and I've read books aloud for her now deceased but then blind great grandmother). On your blog I noted it had to do with story, for fiction, not format. Ebooks work fine for me and so do audio books, though I have plenty of the bound ones, too.

I need to focus on the codex - i.e. the book object - not on what goes in them ....

an ebook is not a codex - it is an ebook. audio books are audio books.

For this assignment I am only considering the physical form.

and nope, you didn't miss the point, Sue :)

good answer!

that particular book(?) - does have text - but it is all cut into blades of grass - rendering it pretty much impossible to read as a text - although the text is there. Is it a book?

A book can just be pictures too....sometimes those are my favorite kind to "read" to a child...LOL

The kids and I just saw The Boy in the Striped Pajamas....omg...you need to see this one Flit.

In the wider information-centered sense, I would agree with Svetlana. But clearly, when people say "the thing was shaped like a book", they do mean something, so there is a "physical object" sense of the word, and it seems that that's the one you need. Yes, I would say the object in the picture is a book in that sense. If it wasn't, you wouldn't be asking the question. You don't look at blades of grass or pieces of white paper and ask if they're a book unless there's a "quality of bookness" about them.

A book is what I say it is. :)

Svetlana said it better than I could although I distrust the word "semiotic." :)

Information in more or less portable form.

in my opinion a book is a collection of facts or experiences/imaginations printed and compiled in a systematic manner with pages and for easy access bound in a compact manner so as to remain intact for a long time.for this purpose ebook is no book.
as a matter of fact a book need not necessarily contain paper and modern print for in the historical times even leaves were used to record facts and fantacies and hence are books for all practical purposes.
how do you like this???
boondi
The contents of any book remins valid till superceded by more authentic material as accepted by the users and readers.

Gary makes a good point about multiple meanings of words. :-)

it seems pretty well covered here, a book can be many different shapes, may or may not have words or pictures, does not NEED numbers, AND contains some sort of theme, story, or subject. While it does not NEED to be bound I find it more convienent if it is held together in some way whether it is by a simple D ring or actual binding is just a matter of convenience. :)

Very interesting, Flit. You made me curious, so I looked up 'book' in Webster's. It covers it all...written fiction or non-fiction, a number of sheets, with text or blank, bound together; a division of a literary work (the books of the Bible); anything that serves to record facts or events...

There's more of course, meanings that are particular to music, or cards, and even gambling. It's amazing how a single word can become so common with one meaning that we take it for granted and forget all it can encompass.

you guys are awesome!

hope you don't mind if I use some of your thoughts in my assignment - cited of course

A book is bound printed matter. After that, a book is a vessel, one that holds the knowledge of the ages, one that carries us into other worlds, one that tells:
**"men's hearts of the hearts of men centuries dead"

**Clarence Day from The Story of Yale University

Er... I'm not sure why I have "white" paper in my comment. I'm fairly sure I mean "green paper". :-)

Excellent translation of an important issue

A book to me is something I read, that makes me use my imagination , takes me to places I have never been, given me experience I may never know, and the outside of it to me doesn't make a difference, I guess if it is stapled together, and has enough pages it can be called a book, if it is bound, it is probably a good book, but all good books eventually come out in paper back style so everyone has access to them. I have a lot of books to read waiting for me, all different sizes and shapes, I know this is not a help to you at all, but wanted to visit you,

To me a book is content. Regardless of genre, the content has to speak to a want or need for information, whether it be intellectual or emotional. I like bound books...the crisp feel of the cover when first opened, and the feel of crisp pages always delights the senses. I have enjoyed e-books as well, but there's something special about actually holding a book in my hands. Page numbers....illustrations....none of this really matters to me, but I must have riveting content!

you are silly sometimes, Elsie... all feedback and input is a help to me right now - and there is no reason to think yours would be any less helpful than anyone else's!

Sounds like you got some really good answers on this one, flit.

yup :) I did so .... lots of quotes I can use for my assignment

And I'm fairly sure I meant "meant".

(Those cold medicines need to add "do not attempt to leave Gather comments" to their warnings about driving motor vehicles or operating heavy machinery.)

Thanks for sharing!

I think a book has to have text or pictures and it has to allow me the ability to connect with it. It doesn't need to be bound, but it has to have some form of continuity so that it is interconnected and not just a bunch of pages. Andx yes it does need pages of some sort. Being able to turn the page is important.

I am with Lance on this one!