Blurb

Structure of a book : 1. Belly binding; 2. Front blurb; 3rd flyleaf below book cover ; 4. Dust jacket underneath book cover ; 5. top edge; 5. leading edge; 6. rear edge; 7. book block ; 8. Right side, with header and footer ; 9. Left side; 10. Stapling with headband

As Blurb ( English Blurb ) a on the impact damper is a protective envelope standing text referred to. A short, promotional summary of the book's content (usually on the front flap), an author's note (usually on the back flap) and, if necessary, references to other books by the publisher are common. For books without a cover ( paperbacks and paperbacks ), this text is usually placed on page 2, i.e. on the back of the half- page title .

Depending on the size of the publishers create their marketing department to the respective titles supervising publishing editors or the authors themselves, the blurbs, the latter depending on the contract sometimes this or no only have a conditional say. Usually, however, a consensual result is sought for the blurb in the cooperation of all those involved in the creation of a book.

The publisher Karl Robert Langewiesche is considered "the inventor" of the blurb.

Demarcation

In addition to the actual blurb, there is often other text on the back of the dust jacket, which can also be read when the book is closed. It preferably contains short, curiosity-arousing quotes from the content as well as sometimes positive " reviews " from prominent testimonials or, in subsequent editions, quotes from literary reviews .

Colloquially, however, all of these texts are collectively referred to as blurb, including comparable advertising-informative texts on music recordings and films on the covers of records , compact discs , DVDs , etc.

However, these are to be distinguished from the laundry slip , which nowadays often corresponds to the content of the blurb, but fulfills a different function in terms of purpose and readership.

See also

• Advertising copy

literature

• Ludwig Muth: Small theory of the blurb. In: Börsenblatt für den Deutschen Buchhandel, Frankfurt am Main 17/1961, p. 2127 ff.
• Gérard Genette: Paratexts. The book about the accessories of the book. Frankfurt am Main 2001.

Web links

Wiktionary: blurb  - explanations of meanings, word origins, synonyms, translations

• Alex Rühle : literature advertising - until the head bursts in the Süddeutsche Zeitung on May 17, 2010, online at sueddeutsche.de

Individual evidence

1. ↑ Marc Reichwein: B for Blurbs in der Welt from August 17, 2012, online at welt.de