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Some paperback editions have a front cover which is a centimetre or two shorter than the actual book. I first noticed this on House of Leaves, where I thought that it's just part of the whole experimental deal (representing the house whose inside is larger than the outside, and/or just putting the book firmly into uncanny valley), but since then I've seen a couple of other books which do this, like this paperback edition of Ken Liu's The Paper Menagerie:

House of Leaves and The Paper Menagerie paperbacks

So I'm assuming this is actually a thing that is done for some books, and googling confirms that. However, I haven't found any good sources on why this is done.

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    It is fundamentally an artistic choice, but I am wondering whether that sort of answer actually answers what you're asking for. Do you also mean to be asking what about the text prompts that choice?
    – user80
    Nov 24, 2017 at 18:10
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    @Zyerah If it's really a purely artistic choice, the reason why someone might make that choice would definitely be interesting. The reasoning from House of Leaves doesn't generally apply to other books.
    – Martin Ender
    Nov 25, 2017 at 7:28
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    @Zyerah if it's fundamentally an artistic choice, then that's answer, even if that choice has nothing to do with the text of the book.
    – user111
    Nov 25, 2017 at 13:34
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    The technical term is a "stepback cover". Other examples include those with centre cut-outs (to make windows) and romance novels with a second interior-double-spread.
    – Valorum
    May 26, 2021 at 23:38
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    If you google "stepback cover" you'll find various discussions, but no explanation other than "it looks cool" or "it's a fad".
    – Stuart F
    Jul 6, 2022 at 22:20

1 Answer 1

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I was told by a bookseller that these were books that had not sold and were “remaindered” by trimming the front cover. This prevents them from being resold at their full value.

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    The books presented in the question were initially made this way, though, not mutilated after production
    – bobble
    Jul 5, 2022 at 13:53
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    – Community Bot
    Jul 5, 2022 at 16:06
  • I can remember buying discount bin paperbacks like this from WH Smith in the 80s and I was also told this was prevent full price sale.
    – PotatoCrisp
    Jul 8, 2022 at 19:16

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