In class, we discussed a little bit about what a book actually is. For me, a book is an object that has pages inside of it, and that has words or images that are fixed and no longer/not subject to change. The reason I describe it this way is that for me books can also be an art form. An artist book is an incredibly fascinating object that does not have the stigma of “don’t touch.” While they might need to be handled delicately, they are meant to be handled. Usually they are beautiful, tactile, and have an intellectual meaning- all of the components that make up my favorite kinds of artwork.
Here are some cool examples:
Most of these are accordian bound, but there are other kinds of binding which can only be done by hand that are unusual.
A personal favorite is the dos a dos method:
I agree with you that books are meant to be touched and handled. I was thinking just this when we had the library class and were viewing manuscripts. Part of me knew that, because they were so old and delicate, it might not be the best idea to touch them. However, after getting the clear to do so, I realized that they were made to be read through the handling of them, not behind a glass case. Also on this subject, I find that it is a better learning process to read something physical rather than on my computer. I think it’s because, like you said, books have an “intellectual meaning.”