A mook () is a publication which is physically similar to a

magazine A magazine is a periodical literature, periodical publication, print or digital, produced on a regular schedule, that contains any of a variety of subject-oriented textual and visual content (media), content forms. Magazines are generally fin ...

but is intended to remain on bookstore shelves for longer periods than traditional magazines, and is a popular format in Japan. The term is a

portmanteau In linguistics, a blend—also known as a blend word, lexical blend, or portmanteau—is a word formed by combining the meanings, and parts of the sounds, of two or more words together.

of "magazine" and "

book A book is a structured presentation of recorded information, primarily verbal and graphical, through a medium. Originally physical, electronic books and audiobooks are now existent. Physical books are objects that contain printed material, ...

". It was first used in 1971, at a convention of the Fédération Internationale de la Presse Périodique. American examples of mooks include '' Make'' and ''

Craft A craft or trade is a pastime or an occupation that requires particular skills and knowledge of skilled work. In a historical sense, particularly the Middle Ages and earlier, the term is usually applied to people occupied in small scale pr ...

''.

In Japan

The format remains popular in Japan, where it has been in use since at least the 1970s. An identical format, predating the term "mook", existed since the 1950s. The number of new mooks published in one year peaked in 2013, with over 8,000 different new mooks published. A little over 6,000 were published in 2019. Sales revenue, however, peaked in 1997 and has been mostly dropping ever since.

References

{{Authority control Periodicals Publications by format Publishing 1971 neologisms