Flipback Books
Posted: 24 Jul 2011, 23:31
When browsing the homepage of my heart-throb Jasper Fforde, I came across a little gem he’d written about - Flipback books. Apparently Hodder & Stoughton recently launched them in UK and Jasper is among one of their first authors to be printed this way. The likes of Melvyn Bragg, James Frey, Jodi Picoult, John le Carre and none other than Stephen King are available in Flipback books.
What is it? It is a hardback book printed sideways and shrunk. Or more politely “A Flipback book is a new kind of book which opens top to bottom and has sideways-printed text, so you get a full length novel in little more than the size of an iPhone”. The Guardian newspaper said “If you want something that doesn’t need recharging and slips into your pocket as easily as a phone, this little beauty is worth a try.” Flipbacks generally weigh less than 145 grams and overall about a sixth the size of an average hardback book and printed on FSC certified paper.
The blurb reads “With 1.5 million in print, this covetable new format sparked a reading revolution which has swept across Europe.” Needless to say it has not reached Aussie shores and I'm intensely curious as to what other readers think about it. Does the world need another book format?
I would love to view your comments on this subject.
What is it? It is a hardback book printed sideways and shrunk. Or more politely “A Flipback book is a new kind of book which opens top to bottom and has sideways-printed text, so you get a full length novel in little more than the size of an iPhone”. The Guardian newspaper said “If you want something that doesn’t need recharging and slips into your pocket as easily as a phone, this little beauty is worth a try.” Flipbacks generally weigh less than 145 grams and overall about a sixth the size of an average hardback book and printed on FSC certified paper.
The blurb reads “With 1.5 million in print, this covetable new format sparked a reading revolution which has swept across Europe.” Needless to say it has not reached Aussie shores and I'm intensely curious as to what other readers think about it. Does the world need another book format?
I would love to view your comments on this subject.