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The other day a friend on mine Dymphie took a photo of her collection of books on bookbinding and it inspired me to create a list of my top five favorite books on the subject. Would any other bookbinders out there like to contribute their top five favourites? Either leave your list as a comment below or maybe create your list on your own website and link it back to here in a comment.
1. Volume 1 Non Adhesive Binding; Books without Glue or Paste
- Author: Keith Smith
- Publisher: Keith Smith Books www.keithsmaithbooks.com
- ISBN: 0-9637682-6-3
2. Cover to Cover
- Author: Shereen La Plantz
- Publisher: Lark Books www.larkbooks.com
- ISBN: 13: 978 – 0 – 937274-87-3
- ISBN: 10: 0-937274-87-9
3. Expressive Handmade Books
- Author: Alisa Golden
- Publisher: Sterling
- ISBN: 1-4027-2051-3
4. Hand Bookbinding A Manual of Instruction
- Author: Aldred A Watson
- Publisher: Dover www.doverpublications.com
- ISBN: 13: 978-0-486-29157-4
- ISBN: 10: 0-486-29157-X
5. Bookbinding A Beginners Manual
- Author: John Ashman
- Publisher: Adam & Charles Black
- ISBN: 0-7136-2113-3
All of these books would be suitable for beginners, I’ll do a separate list another day, of my top five books for the more experienced binder. Here’s why I love the above books.
1. Excellent detailed instructions for many kinds of binding styles. When you want to progress and just want instructions on how to complete a selection of different bindings, without endless pictures of finished books, get this book. Excellent reference book, but might overwhelm a total novice.
2. Excellent first book for bookbinding. Plenty of inspiring pictures, with a good selection of binding styles, described step by step.
3. This would also be an excellent place to start for the new bookbinder. inspiring pictures and instruction on binding styles.
4. Another great book for the first steps. The pictures are all black and white and are more ‘technical drawings’ that compliment the techniques covered, rather than glossy finished books. A lot of excellent info and the section at the back on making your own binding equipment is superb and will save you a lot of money,when you just start out.
5. I Love this book. It is one of those ‘Does what it says on the tin’ kind of books. truly excellent descriptions of many aspects of bookbinding equipment is explained as well as binding styles. An excellent reference book to explain terms you will see in other books.
Best wishes and thanks for reading, see you soon
Billie 🙂
Hi Billie, thanks for your book top 5 review. I have 3 out of 5 (Watson in english and dutch!). Until a few days ago I never heard of Alisa Golden, I think she has to be on my wishlist 🙂
I’m curious to know which books you will recomment for the more advanced binder!
see you soon
Dymphie
Hi Dymphie
Here is a review of Alisa’s book https://billiescraftroom.wordpress.com/2008/05/21/review-of-expressive-handmade-books-by-alisa-golden/
Hope to post the other list in Feb 😉
Best wishes and thanks for the inspiration
Billie 🙂
[…] 2010 in bookbinding As I sat perusing the blogosphere earlier tonight, I came across a post by Billie’s Craft Room, in which she posted her favourite five books on bookbinding and invited other bookbinders to do […]
I just posted my Top 5 list on my blog – you can find it here:
Hi Papermuse
Thanks for joining in with the challenge, its great to see what books other binders enjoy. I must have a look at your tutorials too.
Best wishes
Billie 🙂