Types of Paper

[Nollaig]

Today I bought The Crimson Petal & The White by Michael Faber, this edition.

 

I noticed it has the same type of paper as my copy of Jonathan Strange & Mr. Norrell by Susanna Clarke. They're not printed by the same people or anything.

It's a gorgeous pure white, really thin and really smooth, but extra weighty paper. I absolutely love it, there's something so fresh and clean about it, so processed but of such high quality.

 

I'm wondering if anybody knows the names of this paper, and the different types of paper found in various books? And what kind of paper everyone prefers? And whether it's used on a publisher by publisher basis, author by author, or book by book.

 

If I'm reading a reprint of an old science fiction book, or even an old classic detective novel, I'd still want yellowish or cream grainy textured paper, because that's just what I associate them with, cheap pulpy paper. But with bigger, modern texts, the brighter and smoother the pages, and the heavier the book, the more I love it.

I want to know the names of the different types simply so I can express the above more coherently

[Mac]

My copy of The Crimson Petal and the White also has the above mentioned type of paper. It makes one immediately think of quality before one even begins reading the thing. A Suitable Boy by Vikram Seth has the same.

 

This is one of the reasons I'm so resistant to the ebooks - we lose the connection with the paper, the smell and the variety. Reading isn't just absorbing the words, it would appear - it's the whole visceral experience!

 

(By the way - excellent novel! Have you read it before? It's one of my favourites. Michel Faber is a god...)

Edited August 24, 2010 by Mac

[Talisman]

Personally I prefer the nice, white crisp paper as well - the type favoured by print on demand books like my own. Ironic that so many publishers/authors still consider this to be vanity press when in my opinion, the quality of the printing and binding is if anything superior! You won't find these pages yellowing with age or coming unstuck from the centre pages like you do in other books.

[chesilbeach]

Ok, I'll admit it, I'm as much of a nerd as you when it comes to these things. I've just been to the website of the printers for this edition (which I too bought recently!) and here is where they talk about what paper they use for their house stock --> http://www.clays.co.uk/clays/design-info

 

Unfortunately, the bit which says "Click here to download clays paper range." doesn't actually include a link so I can't tell what their actual specifications are

 

However, I have satisfied my inner geek by having a look at what I thought was a fascinating page about the production of a printed book

[Nollaig]

Ahh that's a fantastic link, thanks for sharing!

[ian]

I'm so glad someone else had said this, as I thought it was just me being a bit weird! There is something deply satisfying in picking up a book, opening it randomly and smoothing the pages out. Glossy and new. Or the crinkly sound from really old books as you turn the pages.

[bookworm44]

This is one of the reasons I'm so resistant to the ebooks - we lose the connection with the paper, the smell and the variety. Reading isn't just absorbing the words, it would appear - it's the whole visceral experience!

 

 

 

Exactly! I couldn't agree with you more, Mac.

 

I'm really surprised to see how many of you like the stark white paper. For some reason it's hard for me to read the words on paper like that and I'll actually go as far as not buying a book if it's printed on white paper.

[Nollaig]

Really? I find the more creamy papers harder to read BECAUSE of the lesser contrast

[BookJumper]

I'm glad you spoke out for all of us paper nerds, Noll. I myself like thick paper, cream if rough-cut or white otherwise. If paper is thick, rough-cut and odorous, so much the better. My hardback copy of King's Pet Semetary smells of '80s - I love that.

[Ooshie]

The quality of the paper in The Crimson Petal and the White was one of the first things I noticed on starting on the book, and it really added to my pleasure in reading it. I can't remember the last time I read a paperback with nice quality paper like that, and I'm sure that overall the quality of paper used is getting worse; the paper used in my copy of Wicked is what I think of as scrap paper.

 

I love the look and feel of good paper, whether it is white or cream, and find it makes turning every page a pleasure (yes, Noll, I proudly join you in the ranks of paper nerds!). In the Folio Society books, they always list the type of paper used (as well as the font etc), and I always check it out!

[Nollaig]

In the Folio Society books, they always list the type of paper used (as well as the font etc), and I always check it out!

 

I don't have any Folio Society books (yet!!!) but that's a GREAT idea! I wish more publishers would include the type of paper and font, god knows they include enough other small print, what's a few more words going to hurt? Course then the ones that use rubbish paper would be shown up more clearly for that.

[bookworm44]

Really? I find the more creamy papers harder to read BECAUSE of the lesser contrast

 

Yeah, I only have a problem with stark white pages. I’ve read books that are printed on very light cream paper and I don’t mind it at all. I think the stark white bothers me because of the way light reflects off of it. I most definitely cannot read a book with stark white pages at the beach and I even have problems with my reading lamp at home.