Today, I've been following Tony Reinke's article on
the cover of volume 4 of Herman Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics with great interest. I've bemoaned the general switch I've seen in past years from clothbound to more and more paperbound hardcover books. Now, it seems that there may be some cases of misrepresentation occurring.
The problem is that each volume is noted as having a "cloth" binding. Normally this bit of information is displayed when the work in question has been published in various formats (a paperback edition, or even an audiobook edition). For instance, a while back, I posted a review of House by Frank Peretti and Ted Dekker and took note of the different ISBNs given for each different format. Here is a list of the various ISBNs for the various formats in which House has been published:
ISBNs: 1595541551 / 9781595541550 (Hardcover); 159554156X / 9781595541567 (Trade Paper); 1595541578 / 9781595541574 (CD-Abridged)
What is curious is the fact that Baker did not publish Bavinck's
Reformed Dogmatics in various formats; only in hardback. It turns out that some volumes have a cloth binding and others have a faux cloth (or paper) binding. It is a bit misleading, and would be disheartening to have expected a cloth binding only to receive something of inferior quality. Normally, I would have expected that these volumes would have been labeled as hardback. I took a stroll through my library and found a couple of examples that listed the ISBN followed by either (hardcover) or (hc). Each of these volumes had non-cloth bindings. Maybe, it was Baker's intention to cover all four volumes with book binder's cloth. I don't know. I'm very curious to know why they used two different cover materials.
All in all, whereas the paper used to cover book bindings is not as durable as is cloth, the addition of a dustjacket should help to increase the lifespan of these volumes
if the dustjacket is retained and cared for properly.
further ramblings...Most publishers are moving from graphic-laden dustjackets to graphic-laden, paper book covers. I prefer the graphics to appear in the form of a dustjacket. Of course, many people seem to disdain dustjackets, even to the awful extent of throwing them out. But there is a valuable use for dustjackets and there is a simple solution to preventing them from becoming a tattered nuisance--DUSTJACKET COVERS (just like the ones used in public libraries). A dustjacket spares a book from a lot of wear, tear and soiling. A decent dustjacket cover is a cheap way to preserve the dustjacket and to increase its ability to protect the book.
I began covering my dustjackets about 8 years ago and have reaped the rewards of, not only a tidy looking library, but also a well-preserved library. Dustjacket covers can be purchased online from
Brodart or
Vernon Library Supplies (there may be others).
Brodart offers top quality materials and would be preferred if my books saw more activity (say, as much as a public library would), but
Vernon Library Supplies fits the bill for the amount of usage my books see and for the price.
conclusion...- We need publishers to continue (or return to) producing key reference works with quality bindings. Not all books need to be smythe-sewn and clothbound. But key reference works that owners will want to keep for years to come should be produced with quality materials. (Another set that was too cheaply reproduced is Calvin's Commentaries published by Baker, 1999. It pales in comparison to the previous printing as far as quality and durability go.)
- DON'T THROW OUT YOUR DUSTJACKETS! Retain them, cover them, and use them. (I've done this with my copy of The Literary Study Bible: ESV. The signatures are sewn, which is good, but the binding format is a non-cloth hardcover. Thankfully they offered a dustjacket. I've got it well-protected and it is in great shape after a lot of use.)
When Cloth No Longer Means Cloth: A Sad Day for Bibliophiles
I also commend to you his magnum opus, Bavinck's Reformed Dogmatics. 4 Volumes. Edited by John Bolt and translated by John Vriend. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Academic, 2003 - 2008. Hardcover, 3,008 pages.
