Skip to main content

Peritext of trade-crossover books: A case study of University of British Columbia Press

Resource type
Thesis type
(Project) M.Pub.
Date created
2024-01-14
Authors/Contributors
Abstract
This project report explores the peritexts of books published by the University of British Columbia Press. Although university presses' main output has historically been the monograph, other options had to be explored to overcome the financial pressures that weighed on the sector in the 1970s and 1980s. One was to acquire and develop titles with the potential to cross academe borders and reach general readers – the trade-crossovers. Such books bear signs of a deliberate strategy adopted by publishers and editors to make them more engaging and accessible. The changes happen not only to the main text but also to its surroundings, such as to titles, intertitles, tables of contents, epigraphs, and notes. A comparison between monographs and crossovers from UBC Press reveals some of the publisher's strategies to reframe their books by moulding what Gérard Genette calls "peritext." Through manipulating these elements, editors have been able to expand audiences, proving that crossovers have been helping UBC Press to both fulfill its mandate and achieve its financial goals.
Document
Extent
52 pages.
Identifier
etd22892
Copyright statement
Copyright is held by the author(s).
Permissions
This thesis may be printed or downloaded for non-commercial research and scholarly purposes.
Supervisor or Senior Supervisor
Thesis advisor: Lastoria, Amanda
Thesis advisor: Pagé, Mauve
Language
English
Member of collection
Download file Size
etd22892.pdf 12.94 MB

Views & downloads - as of June 2023

Views: 43
Downloads: 2