Written Book

A written book is an item created after a book and quill is signed.

Obtaining[]

Signing a book and quill[]

Written books can be obtained by signing a book and quill. After it has been signed, it cannot be edited again. The label does not say "Written Book", but whatever the player titles it. The title appears on the top line of the label, and "by <player>" (the player's username) on the bottom. In Bedrock Edition, this is customizable without commands.

Copying[]

Ingredients	Crafting recipe	Description
Book and Quill + Written Book	2345678	The input written book is not consumed. The new copies are "Copy of Original" or "Copy of Copy", depending on whether the input written book is "Original" or "Copy of Original". Copies of copies cannot be copied. Copied books of the same generation ("Original", "Copy of Original", "Copy of Copy", or "Tattered") stack.

Usage[]

Written books can be opened by right-clicking (or holding down on the screen in Bedrock Edition), and display a GUI allowing the player to read it or turn the page.

The contents of a book are an extra set of data attached to the item. This means that when a book is destroyed, its contents are lost with it.

Lecterns[]

One can place a written book on an empty lectern.

The lectern then emits a redstone signal depending on the displayed page in the book. On the last page, the lectern emits a signal strength of 15.

Chiseled bookshelf[]

Using the chiseled bookshelf while having a written book in the main hand will put the book inside the chiseled bookshelf.

Sounds[]

Java Edition:

Subtitles	Source	Description	Resource location	Translation key	Volume	Pitch	Attenuation distance
Page rustles	Master Volume	When the page of a book is turned	`item.book.page_turn`	`subtitles.item.book.page_turn`	2.0	1.0	16
Page rustles	Blocks	When the page of a book is turned on a lectern	`item.book.page_turn`	`subtitles.item.book.page_turn`	2.0	0.9-1.0	16
Book thumps	Blocks	When a book is placed on a lectern	`item.book.put`	`subtitles.item.book.put`	1.0	1.0	16
Book placed	Blocks	When a written book is placed in a chiseled bookshelf	`block.chiseled_bookshelf.insert`	`subtitles.chiseled_bookshelf.insert`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 1]}	16
Book taken	Blocks	When a written book is removed from a chiseled bookshelf	`block.chiseled_bookshelf.pickup`	`subtitles.chiseled_bookshelf.take`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 2]}	16

↑ Can be 1.0, 0.85, or 1.1 for each sound
↑ Can be 1.0, 0.8, or 1.1 for each sound

Bedrock Edition:

Source	Description	Resource location	Volume	Pitch
Sound	When the page of a book is turned	`item.book.page_turn`	2.0	1.0
Blocks	When a book is placed on a lectern	`item.book.put`	4.8	1.0
Blocks	When a written book is placed in a chiseled bookshelf	`insert.chiseled_bookshelf`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 1]}
Blocks	When a written book is removed from a chiseled bookshelf	`pickup.chiseled_bookshelf`	0.8	varies ^{[sound 2]}

↑ Can be 1.0, 0.85, or 1.1 for each sound
↑ Can be 1.0, 0.8, or 1.1 for each sound

Data values[]

ID[]

Java Edition:

Name	Identifier	Form	Item tags	Translation key
Written Book	`written_book`	Item	`bookshelf_books` `lectern_books`	`item.minecraft.written_book`

Bedrock Edition:

Name	Identifier	Numeric ID	Form	Item tags (JE)	Translation key
Written Book	`written_book`	`511`	Item	`minecraft:bookshelf_books` `minecraft:lectern_books`	`item.written_book.name`

Item data[]

Java Edition:

tag: The item's tag tag.

- filtered_pages: ^{[needs testing]}
- filtered_title: ^{[needs testing]}
- resolved: Optional. Created and set to 1 when the book (or a book from the stack) is opened for the first time after being created. Used to determine whether to resolve advanced components within JSON, because their values become fixed at that point.
- generation: Optional. The copy tier of the book. 0 = original, 1 = copy of original, 2 = copy of copy, 3 = tattered. If the value is greater than 1, the book cannot be copied. Does not exist for original books. If this tag is missing, it is assumed the book is an original. 'Tattered' is unused in normal gameplay, and functions identically to the 'copy of copy' tier.
- author: The author of the written book.
- title: The title of the written book. Lower priority than the item name set by tag.display.Name. Can not be used to open locked containers.
- pages: The list of pages in the book.
  - : A single page in the book. Each page is a serialized JSON text.

Bedrock Edition:

See Bedrock Edition level format/Item format.

History[]

Java Edition
1.3.1		12w17a		Added written books.
1.3.1		12w21a		Written books can now be sold to librarian villagers, at 1 written book for 1 emerald.
1.7.2		13w36a		Written books can now be cloned the same way maps can, but by using books and quills instead of Empty Maps. Multiple copies of the same written book can be cloned by putting more book and quills in the crafting grid.
1.7.2		13w36a		Written books can now be stacked (up to 16 per stack).
1.8		14w02a		Trading has been changed: librarian villagers now buy 2 written books for 1 emerald.
1.8		14w05a		Copying written books now mark them as "Copy of Original" or "Copy of Copy". The copying status of a book is denoted in a separate line in the tooltip, beneath the author's name. Copies of copies cannot be copied.
1.9		15w33c		A written book titled "Work in Progress" now generates within a hopper as a part of the end ship in the end cities. It reads: "We will have something else here soon..." and is signed by Searge.
1.9		15w41a		End ships no longer contain a written book.
1.13		17w47a		Prior to The Flattening, this item's numeral ID was 387.
1.14		18w43a		The texture of written books has been changed.
		19w02a		Written books can now be held on lecterns.
		19w11a		Librarian villagers no longer buy written books.
1.20 (Experimental)		22w42a		Written books can now interact with chiseled bookshelves.
Bedrock Edition
1.2.0		beta 1.2.0.2		Added written books.
1.10.0		beta 1.10.0.3		The texture of written books has been changed.
1.10.0		beta 1.10.0.3		Written books can now be held on lecterns.
Legacy Console Edition
TU25	CU14	1.17	Patch 1	Added written books.
PlayStation 4 Edition
1.90				The texture of written books has been changed.

Issues[]

Issues relating to "Written Book" are maintained on the bug tracker. Report issues there.

Trivia[]

When written books are obtained with commands (without the correct data tag), the label shows "Written Book" and has the text "*Invalid book tag*" when opened. The book is signed and cannot be edited without commands.
Commands that were added to a written book using serialized JSON objects are executed through the chat system. This means that any command added to a written book can't be longer than 256 characters, which is the maximum chat line limit.
During the 2020 April Fools Update Java Edition 20w14∞, throwing a written book into a lit nether portal would create a portal to one of the 2,147,483,645 new dimensions.