Has anyone purchased Ted Kennedy's "True Compass: A Memoir"?

[BattyDem]

The reason I'm asking ...

I pre-ordered from Amazon.com. It arrived last week and the pages didn't appear to be lined up properly. What I mean is ... the book is bound on the left side, but on the right side (where the book is opened), the edges of the pages are not lined-up. They don't create a smooth edge like they do on the top and the bottom of the book - some pages stick out more than others.

I just received my replacement copy and the book is exactly the same way! There's nothing in Amazon's description of the book that mentions this, so I assume it's not intentional.

So ... if you purchased the book from Amazon, is it "normal" or does it have the weird edge. What about if you purchased it elsewhere - how does it look?

Thanks for the info. :hi:



On edit: Just looked at Amazon's web site and it now says the book has a Deckle Edge. I checked a couple of days ago ... it didn't say that. Customer Service never mentioned it when I called, either. I guess they got other complaints.

I always thought a "deckle edge" had an unfinished look on the edge of the paper. I've never seen an "uneven" binding before. Very odd.

[KatyaR]

1. Yes, I bought it last week

and the pages were that way.

[BattyDem]

3. Thanks for the reply.

:hi:

It's odd. I've seen decorate edges on a book, but never that "uneven" look.

At least I know it's not defective. I just wish Amazon had mentioned it on their site before I ordered it because it would have saved me the trouble of returning the first one.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. Yes, you have......

Maybe you've forgotten, but the most striking characteristic of a deckled edge is its unevenness.

You just forgot.

Of all the complaints I've ever heard about a book, this has to be the strangest.

So now you think that book descriptions on amazon should include production information - kinds of edges? Paper used? Font?

The idea that they exchanged it for you instead of explaining "deckle" to you is hilarious...............

[BattyDem]

15. I didn't need a deckle edge explained - the customer service guy did.

I asked if it was a deckle edge. I wasn't sure because it looked different than what I've seen in the past, which looked more "unfinished" than uneven ... like this:



I'm certainly no expert on deckle edge books, which is why I wasn't sure about "True Compass" - it has uneven pages with straight cut edges, not the "torn" edges I've seen in the past. (On edit: Thanks to pnwmom's link below, I now know that the "Trimmed Pages" are an artificial deckle edge.)


Anyway, I called Amazon and I asked about it. The guy said it wasn't listed as a deckle edge book and it sounded like it wasn't bound correctly. That's why he had me to return it.

Amazon always includes "deckle edge" in the description, so I'm not sure why you think it's unreasonable to expect that kind of production information. Some collectors prefer it, which makes it a significant feature that should be in the description. In any case, I checked Amazon's site earlier and "True Compass" is now listed as a deckle. :-)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

18. It includes "deckle edge" in its book descriptions?

That's news to me. I've never seen it and I've ordered books from amazon that had deckle edge - which is my preference.

My books are deckle edge, the paper coming from places where it's made by people who need the work. A small detail, but one my agent told me was possible when my first book sold, and I couldn't be happier with the idea. But I just looked, and that factor isn't included in any of my book descriptions.

I just looked at the amazon entry for "True Compass," and I see nothing about deckle. Can you tell me where I should be looking?

Thanks...................

[BattyDem]

19. Here ya go

http://www.amazon.com/True-Compass-Edward-M-Kennedy/dp/0446539252/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1253592917&sr=8-1

It says "Deckle Edge" right next to the title. I know that wasn't there on Thursday (I checked before I called Amazon), so I probably wasn't the only person who questioned it. The Customer Service crew must have been thinking, "What the hell is going on with these books?" LOL!

About the "deckle edge" descriptions ... yes, I've seen it plenty of times on Amazon. Not sure about other book sites.
Search Amazon for "deckle edge" and you'll find them. Of course, it will also list a few books that explain deckle edges. ;-)

[Tangerine LaBamba]

21. There it is!

That's a new one on me - and you're right - they must have gotten a lot of calls about it.

I looked earlier, and it wasn't there. Time to clear my cache, maybe?

The first time I ever heard the term was when I was selecting our wedding invitations. I love the term, and books with deckle pages are, obviously, my favorite.

I bet "True Compass" used the same paper my publisher uses. I've heard from other authors that they would request it, but it's not in their contracts. I'm thankful for my very savvy and deeply Democratic agent.

Thanks very much, and enjoy the book............................. :hi:

[BattyDem]

24. I like it. it gives the book a very distinctive look ...

but I've never seen that type of "sawtooth" edge before. I thought deckle edges were "torn" ... period. If Amazon had it listed as a deckle, I would have realized it was simply a different technique than I was used to seeing. That would have allowed me to enjoy the look immediately, instead of calling Amazon and thinking, "Oh damn! I waited for weeks for this book and now I had to get a defective one!" :P

I'm glad I could give you a heads-up on the Amazon descriptions. Not sure when they started doing it. I noticed it for the first time a couple of months ago, when I was helping a friend track down a few old books. For all I know, they could have been doing it for years, LOL! :-)


On edit: I believe Amazon also calls it a "rough-cut edge" so if you're looking for a specific book, search for deckle edge and rough-cut edge.

[LaydeeBug]

2. lemme check...

the sides do not match up but the top and bottom do. ;)

[BattyDem]

4. Thank you.

:hi:


It makes it look like an old book, which is sort of cool ... but very unexpected, LOL!

[Ocracoker16]

5. Now I won't be worried when my copy comes

[Ineeda]

7. I remember 'book club' books

that I got years ago with the same issue. Personally, I think they were the cheaply 'manufactured' books specially available to that type of vendor. I think the paper was not first rate as well (more 'pulpy' if you know what I mean.) That's disappointing, but it's the contents that are important. I'm looking forward to reading it.

[LuvNewcastle]

8. I have some books with edges like that.

I think it makes it easier to flip through the pages with the edges cut that way.

[ashling]

9. Waiting for payday

:shrug:

[pnwmom]

10. Hardcover books are often produced with that handmade look. Here's a link with

some pictures.

http://www.mywingsbooks.com/coll-terms/edg02_.shtml

[jwirr]

11. Hand made paper is often made at sheltered workshops by disabled

workers. Maybe he meant to use this method for that reason?

[pnwmom]

13. I doubt he was that involved. Many hardcovers are made that way. "Book designers"

select the font, paper, etc. and plan how a book is made.

It's kind of sad that so many of us have become used to machine-manufactured uniformity that something seems wrong when we see a book made the "old fashioned" way.

[BattyDem]

16. That picture on the bottom is what it looks like.

They call it Trimmed Pages (artificial deckle). I've never seen that before and was unaware that it was a type of deckle edge. I don't buy a lot of books (usually just political stuff and "coffee table" books) and I'm not a collector, so I'm only familiar with the "traditional" deckle edge, which looks like this:







That's why I called Amazon. The guy said it wasn't listed as a deckle and I should return it. When I received the second one today and it was the same as the first, I figured the guy was wrong. I decided the best thing to do was ask my fellow DUers because they always have the answers ... and you did, with pictures!

Thanks! :hi:



edited to add some space between pictures :-)

[Ardent15]

12. I have it. It's a great book by a great man.

If you want to hear the story of the Kennedy family and of Ted Kennedy told honestly, look no further than this book.

[applegrove]

14. My mom is getting it so I'll borrow it from her.

[BattyDem]

17. Already started reading it and I'm enjoying it very much.

It was nice of him to leave this "gift" behind for us. :-)

[nadinbrzezinski]

20. I have had books like that when I was in HS

in Mexico... very common way of binding.

Look on the bright side, at least the pages were cut open. Ours, at times took a knife and went at it.

:-)

The excuse, to save us a buck or two

[BattyDem]

22. I've never seen that type of "sawtooth" deckle before

That's why I called Amazon, but the poor guy didn't have a clue. All he knew was that it wasn't listed as a deckle edge, so it must be defective.

You know ... what I SHOULD have done on Thursday was ask DUers about it BEFORE I called Amazon. I would have saved myself a lot of time, LOL!

[nadinbrzezinski]

23. To be honest I will be ordering the electronic form

These days that's what I am doing

So no speckle binding for me

:-)