Binding on new books
 

I just bought a brand new book and within 50 pages of reading it the part of the book by the spine where the pages connect to the cover has separated from the spine. Now when the book is open you can shove a pencil clear under the pages and the spine. IS this normal for a book, have books always done this. Usually I buy used books and they frequently do this, but I thought it was unusual that a new book started off connected to the spine and quickly came unglued, if it is normal, why do they glue it down in the first place?

Binding on new books
 

On 3/17/2013 12:27 PM, contempted wrote:
I just bought a brand new book and within 50 pages of reading it the
part of the book by the spine where the pages connect to the cover has
separated from the spine. Now when the book is open you can shove a
pencil clear under the pages and the spine. IS this normal for a book,
have books always done this. Usually I buy used books and they
frequently do this, but I thought it was unusual that a new book started
off connected to the spine and quickly came unglued, if it is normal,
why do they glue it down in the first place?




No, it is not normal. A properly made book should last for decades.

But, some information if you will. Is this a hardcover or a paperback?
And, what is the book and who is the publisher?


Francis A. Miniter

Its called The Horse The Wheel and Language and its published by Princeton, and its hardcover, but again, this happens to many if not most of the hardcovers I buy. I usually buy used books listed as "like new" on Amazon,and they either come in this condition or quickly come unglued.I don't bend the cover back, this is just from normal reading. Often when you open the book in the middle the pages arch upwards away from the cover and the book is ONLY connected to the cover by the paper that is glued both to the cover an the books first and last "page" and there will be no connection whatsoever with the book and the spine. I send these books back as fast as they send them to me. But I am just trying to understand if this is something new or if this has always happened to books, or if its "normal".

Binding on new books
 

On Sun, 17 Mar 2013 16:27:49 +0000, contempted
wrote:


I just bought a brand new book and within 50 pages of reading it the
part of the book by the spine where the pages connect to the cover has
separated from the spine. Now when the book is open you can shove a
pencil clear under the pages and the spine. IS this normal for a book,
have books always done this. Usually I buy used books and they
frequently do this, but I thought it was unusual that a new book started
off connected to the spine and quickly came unglued, if it is normal,
why do they glue it down in the first place?


This is normal, and quality books have been made this way for decades.
It's explained well on this page, see the images right at the top.

http://cool.conservation-us.org/byor.../an15-609.html

Wow-interesting. You could knock me over with a feather. I still am curious as to why they bother gluing it down in the first place if they know it will almost immediately break free. But yes, I see how they would want to protect the spine.
I guess I owe some apologies.

It always amazed me that these books were constructed in such a way where if I took a razor blade and made one cut in the front and another in the back the book would fall completely out. I guess I'll have to make sure not to take razors to them. Thanks

Binding on new books
 

I am also sad that the binding on new books seldom includes any cloth
these days. Instead we get carboard spines that are all too easily
dented and ruined...