How to Make Books

ESTHER K. SMITH, author of How to Make Books, collaborates with typographer Dikko Faust and other artists and writers at Purgatory Pie Press in New York City. Their handmade books have been exhibited at the Metropolitan Museum of Art and London’s Victoria & Albert Museum. Their artist books are housed in many rare book collections including the Museum of Modern Art, the Whitney Museum, and the National Gallery of Art. Smith teaches throughout the United States, Canada, and England, and every term at Cooper Union in New York City.

“From the letter-press cover on thick cardboard to the simple, step-by-step instructions that are accompanied by illustrations and photos of finished products inside, this how-to will be the favorite of anyone who wants to make a book. Absolute beginners can be successful from the first page with an instant book-all that is needed is a sheet of paper. Besides paper, most projects call for the same three materials: awls, curved needles, and waxed thread. The most complicated one involves Coptic binding, which might take a couple of tries to get right but, even so, is doable. A resource list is included, as well as a bibliography of titles the author recommends. It is easy to see that bookmaking could become addictive. Crafty teens as well as those who create their own zines will want to take a look.”—School Library Journal, Charlotte Bradshaw, San Mateo County Library, CA