Portable books (or libelli portatiles) Beginning in 1505, Manutius produced plain texts in a portable form, using the term enchiridion, meaning "handbook" (later misnamed "pocketbook"). The octavo was the first version of the editio minor. Although these new, portable books were not cheap, the books of the Aldine Press did not force upon their buyers a substantial investment comparable to that of large volumes of text and commentary during this era. These books consisted on an edited text issued without commentary, printed in a typeface mimicking chancery script (the cursive handwriting of the humanist), produced in a small book which could sit comfortably in the hand. The editio minor, in many ways, brought financial and logistical benefits to those interested in the classics. An individual no longer had to go to the book, but rather the book came along with them.
Portable books (or libelli portatiles) Beginning in 1505 Manutius produced plain texts in a portable form using the term enchiridion meaning "handbook" (later misnamed "pocketbook") The octavo was the first version of the editio minor Although these new portable books were not cheap the books of the Aldine Press did not force upon their buyers a substantial investment comparable to that of large volumes of text and commentary during this era These books consisted on an edited text issued without commentary printed in a typeface mimicking chancery script (the cursive handwriting of the humanist) produced in a small book which could sit comfortably in the hand The editio minor in many ways brought financial and logistical benefits to those interested in the classics An individual no longer had to go to the book but rather the book came along with them