Men in Sheds – The Bookbinder

Bookbinding can be an entirely practical endeavor. I got my own start by producing paperback versions of e-books I had downloaded so I could read them offline and make notes in the margins. But, there are people who take the same basic process and end up creating books that are a work of art. Glenn Malkin, proprietor of Signature Bindings, and in this video documentary we see him work through the process of binding a copy of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” by Truman Capote.

This documentary shows all of the critical processes in the crafting of a fine art hand made book. But, where it excels is in allowing Mr. Malkin to discuss his thought process behind the various choices in the process. Those deliberations are where the art of the process lives. His discussion of the cover creation in relationship to the themes of the story within the text are particularly fascinating.

If your interest is in the art and craft of fine bookbinding, there is much to discover in this documentary.