Hey, we’ve all read books the same way since I can remember. With physical books slowly (but surely) going out of style (you can thank the Kindle for that), the medium sure could use a fresh change. Dwarsligger’s new books, however, were not what I had in mind.
Instead of sporting a two page vertical layout like we’ve been used to, their new volumes are printed horizontally (a style I have seen employed on puzzle books and strip compilations, but never for long blobs of text). One page encompasses an entire spread, instead of having one on each sheet. While the merits of such a setup is questionable, you gotta admit that it sure is different. At the least, it makes the experience of poring over a book completely out of the ordinary.
Dwarsligger unveiled the unique books a couple of weeks ago at the Manuscripta event in Amsterdam. Other than the 90-degree change in orientation, the prints are also particularly compact, only slightly bigger than the iPhone in that picture. According to the company, the pocketable size (as in, it will really fit in your front pocket) was accomplished by using both very thin paper and a unique font (which is perfectly legible even when small) for the volumes.
A total of 17 titles (in Dutch) are currently available from the company’s website. I assume they’re going to add a few more, in case the thing actually takes off. Books currently on sale in this form include ones from Wayne Dyer, Nicci French and Arthur Golden, all available for €12.50 apiece.
[Dwarsligger ]