A half-title is the leaf preceding the title page of a book, and typically only displays the book’s title. The purpose of the half-title is to allow the reader to identify the work without having to open the book and look at the title page.
The half-title leaf is not part of the main text block and is therefore usually not numbered. In early printed books, the half-title was often the first leaf of the book and was therefore given the folio number ‘1’. However, in modern books, the half-title is usually found after the front matter, and so is given a page number after the front matter has been numbered.
The half-title is often confused with the frontispiece, which is a separate piece of artwork found after the half-title and before the title page. The frontispiece is not part of the text block and is usually not numbered.
A half-title is a preliminary page in a book, typically preceding the title page, giving the book’s title. The half-title is often omitted from modern books, especially mass-market paperbacks, but can be useful in providing a quick identification of the work in question when there is doubt, or when the title page itself is missing.
The term “half-title” can also refer to a page preceding the main title page in a newspaper or other periodical. This page typically contains the paper’s masthead and other information such as the date, issue number, and cost.
A half-title is the title page of a book that is followed by the copyright page and the table of contents. The half-title often includes the book’s title and author’s name. The half-title is important because it is the first page that a reader sees when they open a book. The half-title sets the tone for the book and can make a reader want to read more.