Ever wonder how a book is made?
No, not the writing part… that’s simple:
- open bottle of whisky
- place paper in typewriter
- pour whisky in neck
- pound typewriter keys
- occasionally puff on cigar
- slap ass of passing secretary (male or female, your option)
- repeat #3 – #6 until deadline arrives
- yell as editor until deadline is extended sufficiently to permit at least one cycle through #3 – #6
- hand brilliant novel to editor for publication
See? Simple.
Now what I’m really talking about is the printing / binding construction part. That’s the fun bit.
Although, I’ll warn you that this is not a quick and speedy presentation. Yes, it’s less than an hour, but you’re getting a condensed version of a number of hours of exploring the insides of the company that makes Humdrumming’s books: Biddles, located in King’s Lynn, Norfolk. So, figure a good-sized cup of coffee or tea.
Head to this slide-show on “Flickr!”, hit “STOP” (bottom left), and then set the options (bottom right corner) to “Always Show Title and Description” and hit “SAVE”.
Then sit back and wander through Biddles’ plant with myself as your guide.
No lagging! Keep up, now…
Table of contents for the series “The European Caper [2007]”
- You’re My North Star When I’m Lost and Feeling Blue
- On Merry England’s Far Famed Land
May Kind Heaven Sweetly Smile - And Did Those Feet in Ancient Time (The UK, Day II)
- Tweltfth Night a Hit! A Palpable Hit!
- Let’s lock the door and throw away the key now
(shom dooby-dum dooby-dum-dum) - Frank put on a top forty station,
got on the Hollywood Freeway,
headed north… (The UK, Day V) - How do you build a book…? (The UK, Day VI)
Ian Alexander Martin [
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