Paperback
A book with a paper cover of heavier, more or less rigid cardboard
stock is called a paperback. The cover, completely covered with hand-made
paper or colored paper, is a little larger than the leaves of the
publication itself and has a hollow back.
Paperback binding has been considered inferior binding as compared
to cloth binding, which, however, is not entirely true. It was very
popular in the 18th and 19th century, due to its multitude of decoration
possibilities. See Insel-Büchlein.
Depending on its quality, a paper binding can be as durable as a
half cloth binding. Due to its ornamental value, the paperback, correctly
done, is one of the more demanding or challenging bookbinding tasks. |