Why are books always in rectangular shape? For ages, books have always been published in rectangular format. The fact that readers are used to and recognize this custom helps explain why it has continued Books with a rectangle format are more practical and effective to use, as they may have more words on each line, which makes it simpler for readers to follow lines and turn pages. We usually read books by moving our eyes back and forth across the text, and the distance that our eyes can read is limited. We become lost trying to find the next line if the current one is too lengthy. If a line is too short, we will flick between lines too rapidly, wasting time and diverting our attention. Eventually, 45–75 characters per line—66 being the standard—was the upper limit.
In the early centuries, people used to document their information on papyrus or parchment but as the demand for faster access to technology grew, we adopted the codex format, which is made up of sheets that are folded and sewed along one edge. The height of the parchments used to make them defined their sizes, and there was no pattern to the number of columns that made reading more comfortable. People used to read them from top to bottom. Some readers would even read the books in columns from left to right. However, the codices sizes gradually shrank and started to resemble more contemporary books. In the first century, it was written in four columns, but by the fourth century, each page had merely two columns, occasionally even just one. The successors of the codex, however, were seen as a luxury item before they became a commonplace part of our everyday lives. They were so big that reading them required supporting them on pedestals.
Later on, the books rectangular shape was introduced, making them easy to carry or read. Also, they are easy to fit neatly on shelves and can also be held comfortably in one hand while reading. Another reason for their rectangular shape is that they can be produced more easily and economically in huge quantities. It offers large space for words, graphics, and other information while maintaining a manageable size. Many producers employ conventional printing and binding techniques to make them in bulk quantities.
The rectangular shape of books is still the standard for the majority of publications; in other words, it's not only a question of convention or custom, but also a historical and practical requirement that has become ingrained in our cultural awareness. Even though there have been some attempts to depart from this paradigm, most publications are likely to continue to use the rectangle as the default for the foreseeable future.
-Written By Shrutika Bajaj (Email- shrutika.bajaj12@gmail.com)
Kunal
6 months agoHelpful content
Kunal
6 months agoHelpful content
SN Choudhary
6 months agoThings worth knowing. Achcha ????????
Aman bajaj
6 months agoNice content
Aman bajaj
6 months agoNice content
Aman bajaj
6 months agoNice content
Mehak
6 months agoSuch a very useful article. Very interesting to read this article.
Mehak
6 months agoSuch a very useful article. Very interesting to read this article.
RAMAN KUMAR
5 months agoInformative content