By the book

THERE is just something about the smell of books - that hint of vanilla, which experts attribute to the smell of lignin, a polymer present in all wood-based materials. Apart from its distinct scent, the heft of a book, the tactility of its cover and pages, makes holding a "real" book such a pleasure for serious readers. Which probably explains why, even as Forbes.com estimated sales of e-reader Kindle to have hit US$3.9 billion in revenue last year, a small group of aficionados are reviving the craft of bookbinding here.

"The lack of actual books with the feel and smell of ink and paper may be a possible explanation for the growing love of bookbinding," says Winnie Chan, founder of a new bookbinding atelier Bynd Artisan, which opens on Chin Bee Road next weekend. "The possibilities of using different papers and cover materials with different t…