The anatomy of a book

Debbie Jacob

WHETHER you’re an avid reader, student or hesitant reader now plunging into the vast ocean of books, you need to understand the anatomy of a book. Many people skim or skip crucial parts including the verso page, preface, prologue, acknowledgments and introduction in the front or the notes and bibliography at the end of a book.

These sections have invaluable information that should never be skipped. They are like jewels in a necklace – not merely adornment but mood and tone-setting pieces.

Start your book experience with the verso page just after the title page. It presents important information: a reminder of copyright laws, the year the book was published, the publisher and information about the cover picture.

An online search of the publisher will tell you if this is a reputable publisher who has scrutinised and accepted this book on its merit. Self-published books, which are books authors have written and paid to be printed, have not undergone that rigid professional process.

Acknowledgments can be at the beginning or the end of fiction and non-fiction books. They are not merely an author’s thanks to family or friends. They weave together the story of writing a book, and recognise invaluable assistance from librarians, other professionals, editors and supportive people, both academically and personally. I always include people who suggest or find invaluable information that I didn’t think of including in my books.

Non-fiction books usually have a preface – a short section written from the author’s perspective. It includes the background and unique experiences that qualify the author to write a book, discusses the book’s importance and its place in a certain canon of literature. The preface allows an author to condense a lifetime of experiences culminating in writing this book.

A prologue is another short section at the beginning of a non-fiction book. Not every non-fiction book has a prologue, but if it’s there, the purpose is to establish the context of the book with a scene that takes place before the chapters in the book begin. Prologues use an anecdote (a short story to illustrate a point) as a tool to anchor readers in books that do not begin in chronological order, which is the norm now for non-fiction books. They help to establish perspective and give the reader a visual image to function as a thread tying the story together.

Some books have an introduction instead of a prologue, which establishes basic information readers need before getting into the book. It provides a thematic focal point rather than a chronological one.

A preface sets a book’s tone and should whip up some excitement over the story’s perspective. It’s more about feeling the book rather than explaining it as an introduction or prfeace does. A preface isn't always necessary for understanding the content, but the introduction is.

Some books have a foreword, which is always written by someone who can lend his or her credibility to the author’s book. Forewords explain the book’s significance and often put the book into an historical or literary context. They feel like a book review.

Then we come to the book itself, divided into chapters that serve as the meat between the bread: the front and end sections of a book. An epilogue is a fiction device that presents a main character’s feelings or thoughts after the novel ends. Authors put the novel in perspective from that character’s viewpoint and add an insight at the end of the story, which is determined by a definitive point in the future.

An afterword is the author’s final thoughts on the book and captures the experience the author is left with when the story ends.

End notes and a bibliography are found at the end of all credible non-fiction – and fiction too if an author uses sources that must be credited. They document the authors’ sources, meet copyright qualifications and give readers the information to decide the credibility of direct quotes and other information that needs to be credited.

The subject index at the end of the book serves as multiple entry points into a book. This is where you find all the places a subject appears.

Together, these sections establish the anatomy of a book. Books no longer neatly fit into a single genre. These structural devices are evolving too, but the basic purpose remains the same. These important sections that bookend fiction or non-fiction provide information authors and publishers want readers to have to enhance their reading experience and add credibility to a book.