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Offset & Beyond
April 28, 2008

Offset & Beyond technical and management conference is drawing nearly 500 registrants. The Schaumburg, IL event that runs through Tuesday. For those who may have trouble tracking the name conventions of conferences, this was formerly the Web Offset Assn. Technical Conference, which over time merged with the Non-Heatset Users Group. Then, two years, ago, when PIA/GATF and NAPL decided the lay to rest the Sheetfed Conference, PIA incorporated sheeetfed printing content into the gathering, and renamed its Offset & Beyond. 
Each year keynote speakers who are topical draws--presidents, statesmen, newscasters--are prominently featured to draw attendance. This year's opening speaker was James Bradley, author of Flags of Our Fathers, the New York Times bestseller that chronicled the life and times of the famed hero's who planted the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima. Bradley, whose father was among the group (the famed photo appears on last week's Time magazine cover) recounted the perils endured and the bravery of the group. 
Bradley also provided an insight into the travails of the publication process, as he strove against odds to get what evenetually became a blockbuster book into print. In a nutshell, it was rejected by 21 publishers before it was finally accepted.
 In answer audience questions, Bradley noted taht Flags was printed by Berryville Graphics and Offset paperback, while his new book, Flyboys, was manufactured by Quebecor World. Bradley also said he has tried digital books, but prefers printed versions--which earned him a round of applause. 
More notes on Offset & Beyond will follow in my next post.

Posted by Bill Esler on April 28, 2008 | Comments (0)