Dr. Harold Mulkin MD had a problem. He wanted to reprint a book he did a few years back. At the time,
the critics liked subject matter but didn't like the way it was printed... one called the reproduction, "amateurish."
Dr. Mulkin called a local print shop to ask advice and
they recommended RelKey Books knowing that we could help.
On our first meeting Dr. Mulkin handed me the previous copy of his 6 x 9 inch black & white book asking
if I could reproduce this better. It was a simple soft bound book copied from Xerox copies of a book that was
published in 1950. That original fifty year old book was a copy of another generation of copies of the autographed
typed letters sent to various medical schools and people discussing his medical research.
In other words, Dr. Mulkin needed me to reproduce a copy of a copy of a
copy of a typed letter written 50 years ago and make it interesting so it wouldn't get panned by the medical book critics
again.
My solution was simple but very unusual.
I would use the last copy of his book as the art work; scan each page to the original 6 x 9 size. Since
the book was made up of letters and editorials I would make his hard bound book larger. I would center each scanned 6
x 9 page onto the larger 8 x 10 page. Around each 6 x 9 page I would print an ivory boarder. Around each 6 x 9 page
I would add a black drop shadow to fool the eye making the 6 x 9 page seemingly float on the 8 x 10 page.
Dr. Mulkin didn't understand a thing I said either but he trusted
me.
The medical book critic Burke Cunha
MD wrote:
"I was fascinated
by this unusual and delightful book by Dr. Malkin... Each page resembles a typed copy of Osler's letters. This format
and style gives the letters an intimate feeling as if Osler is writing to the reader... This book is a gem! It is a delight
to peruse and savor. Heartily recommended."
This
book is truly an unusual read... just the way I planned it. Kudos for Dr. Mulkin for trusting his book to us. Ending his letter
of congratulations to Relkey Books he penned, "If by chance I decide to write another book, you will be the
first one I will contact."
