Book
A book is a collection of written, illustrated or printed content in papers, parchment or other similar materials bound or fastened on one side. It can also refer to a work of literature. Each sheet that comprises a book is referred to as a "leaf", whose two sides are referred to as "pages".
Today, there are already books that are not made of actual paper, though they still have pages. An example of this is the electronic book or e-book. This book can be accessed with the use of electronic gadgets such as computers, MP4 players and mobile phones.
In a library, a book would most likely be referred to as a "monograph" to set it apart from serials such as journals, newspapers and magazines.
Anybody who is able to read can take advantage of a book's many benefits. A book is basically used as a source of information, though it can also be used as a source of entertainment, relaxation and other emotional benefits.
Books are usually classified based on their purpose and topic. There are reference books such as encyclopedias, dictionaries, thesauruses, almanacs and atlases. There are also narrative books such as fiction books and science fiction books. There are also textbooks, or those used to facilitate school learning. Books can be found almost anywhere, though large amounts of them are commonly found in libraries and bookstores.
A book lover is commonly called a "bookworm", bibliophile, philobiblist or bibliophilist.
Parts of a book
A book is composed of different parts. Among the most basic are the cover, spine, title page, copyright page, dedication page, table of contents, foreword, body, glossary, bibliography and index.
The book cover refers to the book's protection. It can either be hard or paperback. The spine, on the other hand, refers to the face of the area where the book's leaves are bound or fastened. The title page, copyright page and dedication page also contains specific information. The copyright page, for instance, includes the book's copyright date, place and date of publication and publisher.
The table of contents refers to the list of the book's contents according to their arrangement in the book. The foreword refers to an introduction usually made by somebody other than the one who wrote the book (called the "author). The one who writes the foreword is usually a notable personality.
The body contains the actual contents of the book, while the glossary refers to the list of key words used in the book alongside their meanings. The bibliography contains details on the author's references and other suggested readings.
Lastly, the index page contains the list of key subjects and names used in the book. These are usually arranged in alphabetical order, intended to help researchers easily find out whether the book contains what they need or not.
