Paperbacks have revolutionized the way we access and enjoy literature since they’re an affordable and portable alternative to traditional hardcover books. Since their rise in popularity during the 20th century, paperbacks have become a staple for students and book enthusiasts alike. This article explores the production, materials, and enduring appeal of this type of binding in the modern publishing industry.
Paperback in a nutshell
Paperback books are bound with a flexible softcover made of thick paper or card stock. This binding method is a popular choice for buyers due to its cheap price and light weight.
Definition: Paperback
A paperback is a type of softcover binding with a thick paper or paperboard cover. Book block and cover are typically glued together onto the book’s spine, making it more flexible than hardcover. Sometimes, the paper cover is even coated with a thin laminate for additional protection.
The paperback’s lightweight design and lower production costs have made it accessible to a wider audience and doesn’t just represent a cheaper version of a hardcover, but also acts as a makeover of the original book. For students, this binding method offers a budget-friendly alternative for academic texts and the cover design can often be customized to one’s desire.
- ✓ Free express delivery
- ✓ Individual embossing
- ✓ Selection of high-quality bindings
Types
There are four types of paperbacks that cater to different needs and audiences. Below you will find explanations for each type.
Trade paperback
Trade paperbacks come in larger formats with higher production quality and are almost the same size as a lot of hardbacks. Usually, hardcover books will be published first, while the paperback version acts as a second chance with its new cover and slightly lower cost that seem more appealing to the majority of readers. This type is commonly used for first edition novels, reprints, literary works, and nonfiction titles since they’re more durable than the mass market paperback and are more likely to end up on a shelf.
Comic paperback
With the look of regular paperbacks, these editions compile multiple comics into one volume. Compilations of numerous volumes of Japanese mangas are typically published in the tankōbon format, which is around the size of a regular trade paperback. So, comic paperbacks, also referred to as graphic novel paperbacks, are a perfect choice for special edition collectors and comic fans as contents range from superheroes to mangas and manhwas.
Mass market paperback
The most common type is the mass-market paperback, which is a small, inexpensive alternative that is ideal for wide distribution. The mass market paperback is manufactured with inexpensive paper to lower production costs as much as possible, making their profit margins low, but their sales very high since they’re mostly blockbuster titles. This type is commonly used for fiction genres since they tend to be read only once and are released years after both hardcover and trade paperback versions came out.
Pocket paperback
Pocket paperbacks belong to the mass market paperback category, as they are designed to be pocket-sized and lightweight. Therefore, their font sizes are slightly harder to read than other types. Due to their size, they’re also referred to as “airport novels,” since they are often found in travel hubs. These compact books are the top choice for casual reading on the go, readers seeking affordable entertainment, and they offer convenience despite their smaller print.
History
As mentioned in our “What is hardcover” article, bookbinding started in the 15th century with the invention of the printing press. In the 19th century, the paperback as we know it was pioneered by multiple publishers. Some of them are listed below.
In 1841, the German publisher Christian Bernhard Tauchnitz was one of the most important figures when he published foreign language titles — specifically new titles in English — and distributed them outside of the UK and its colonies. Some of those famous authors were Charles Dickens, W. H. Ainsworth, and Mary Elizabeth Braddon. These collections were called the “Tauchnitz Collection of British Authors” and later turned into the “Tauchnitz Collection of British and American Authors.”
The Tauchnitz Edition titles were mostly sold as paperbound and were later rebound by their owners, serving as a director precursor to mass-market paperbacks. What first began as a publishing business of modern, international English-language editions then turned into an actual reprint publishing business of even older titles due to high demand.
Furthermore, Tauchnitz was an early copyright reformer as there were no copyright treaties between European states and the United States. Although there was no copyright protection, authors were paid royalties by Tauchnitz, which often allowed him to publish new books ahead of his competition. Until 1891, Tauchnitz Editions were the only authorized editions of works by American authors in Europe.
In the late 1920s, the company faced serious issues due to increasing competition, e.g., by the English Library of the “Internationale Bibliothek” in Berlin. The original series and firm ended during WW2 in 1943 after the Tauchnitz facilities were mostly destroyed in a bombing raid.
Founded in 1932, Albatross Books was a German publishing house based in Hamburg that produced the first modern mass-market paperback. Inspired by Tauchnitz, Albatross’ founders John Holroyd-Reece, Max Christian Wegner, and Kurt Enoch aimed to modernize the paperback format. The books were color-coded by genre, with green symbolizing travel, orange for fictions, etc.
While Tauchnitz was on the brink of collapse in 1934, Albatross achieved success far beyond its expectations, leading to negotiations of a possible acquisition. Albatross was a company with several Jewish connections and since the Nazis had just come to power in Germany, this transaction was made impossible. Instead, Tauchnitz was bought by Brandstetter, the German printing company that printed Albatross books. Thus, Brandstetter did the printing work while Albatross was given editorial control of this series, which was handled from Paris.
This complicated arrangement led to Nazis burning books and making lists of banned books that were left-leaning, especially from authors like Aldous Huxley, who were openly pacifistic and didn’t shy away from publishing books that criticized politics. With the money he got from writing Hollywood scripts, he helped Jewish people and left-leaning authors and artists to escape Nazi Germany in 1939. This shows that Albatross had to be very careful during that time in what, where, and how to publish books.
Due to the outbreak of WW2, Albatross’ production came to a halt, while Allen Lane had already adopted many of their ideas for Penguin Books. Kurt Enoch, a co-founder of Albatross Books, was later hired by Lane to manage Penguin’s American branch.
Another publisher worth mentioning is Sir Allen Lane, who founded Penguin Books in 1935, along with his brothers Richard and John Lane. Penguin Books served as an imprint (trade name) of The Bodley Head, from which they then began publishing high-quality paperbacks in Britain for a mass audience.
In 1936, Penguin Books was established as a separate business and printed one million books within the first year. Lane adopted many innovations of the Hamburg publisher Albatross Books, such as the color-coding system according to subject matter, depicting an orange and white design for general fiction, red and white for drama, dark blue and white for biographies, etc.
Nowadays, Penguin Books Ltd. still stands strong as a German-owned English publishing house under Bertelsmann, with Penguin Books itself being an imprint of the British-American Penguin Random House publishing company that is considered one of the “Big Five” among English-language publishers.
Inspired by European paperback publishers, Robert Fair de Graff founded Pocket Books in 1939 in the United States. Richard L. Simon, Max Lincoln Schuster, and Leon Shimkin — founders of the American publishing company Simon & Schuster — played a fundamental part in the creation of Pocket Books, as they supported de Graff financially. Their goal was to capitalize on this market gap in the U.S. and make paperbacks as portable as a magazine and widely available to the public.
Featuring the iconic logo of “Gertrude” the kangaroo — named after the mother-in-law of artist Frank Lieberman — these pocket-sized books, sold for just $0.25, were reprints of popular hardback titles, which typically sold for $2-$3. Unlike traditional hardcovers, Pocket Books were sold not just in bookstores but also in drugstores, newsstands, train stations, and grocery stores. This distribution strategy made books available to a much wider audience, including those who might never visit a bookstore.
During WW2, Pocket Books played a pivotal role as Armed Services Editions (ASEs) were part of a program that distributed paperback books to soldiers. Millions of these editions were sent to troops and were specifically designed to fit in a soldier’s pocket. This accessibility of books significantly increased literacy among a wider population and soldiers were eager to trade their tiny books. Due to material shortages in WW2, Pocket Books was thriving with their idea and their generally low production cost.
After selling the company in 1944, co-founder Leon Shimkin and James M. Jacobson acquired Pocket Books, and later sold it to Simon & Schuster in 1966. In 1976 Phyllis E. Grann became the first woman CEO of a major publishing firm and ran Pocket Books. Fast forward, Pocket Books was publicly known for publishing popular works, such as Star Trek.
In 2020, Bertelsmann corporation (owning Penguin Books) was interested in buying Simon & Schuster, which was accepted by the latter; however, the U.S. Department of Justice expressed concerns about competition in the industry and ultimately blocked the merger with their civil antitrust lawsuit. Pocket Books’ parent company Simon & Schuster is now considered one of the “Big Five.”
Advantages & disadvantages
For avid readers and students contemplating how to bind their academic work, there are several options available. So, the decision to choose between a more aesthetically pleasing hardcover and a more affordable softcover binding is easier said than done. Below, you’ll find advantages and disadvantages of a hardcover binding.
Pros
- Lower production cost
- High availability in stores & online
- Smaller & more flexible
- Lighter than hardcover
- Perfect for travelling
Cons
- More prone to damage
- Lower paper quality
So, should you choose a paperback or hardcover binding? If you are on a budget and want to read outside the comfort of your home, then a paperback is the way to go.
To find out more about the differences between hardcover vs. paperback, have a look at our article outlining the differences between these types of bindings:
FAQs
Paperback: A book with a flexible, lightweight cover made of thick paper or cardstock. It is smaller, more portable, and less expensive to produce.
Hardcover: A book with a rigid, durable cover made of cardboard or board covered with cloth, leather, or paper. Hardcover books often include a dust jacket and are more robust but heavier.
Advantages
- Cost-effective to produce
- Widely available both in stores and online
- Compact and flexible design
- Lightweight, making it easy to carry
- Ideal for travel
Disadvantages
- Less durable and more susceptible to damage
- Typically uses lower-quality paper
Paperbacks use less expensive materials and are simpler to manufacture. Additionally, paperbacks are produced in larger quantities and targeted at a wider audience, lowering costs as well.
The term paperback refers to a book format characterized by its soft, flexible cover made of thick paper or thin cardboard. It is designed to be lightweight, affordable, and portable, often serving as a more accessible version of a hardcover book.
