Davide Cornacchini (left) and I discuss the color characteristics in the latest pages. I think Davide and I have the same hair stylist.

BOLOGNA, Italy — Printing of Vietnam 40 Years Later was completed late Tuesday afternoon at the Damiani Editore printing facility here.

(Buy the book here: www.Vietnam40YearsLater.com.)

The giant sheets of paper that contain eight pages each on front and back are now

Matteo Girardi checks color registration.

stacked on seven wood pallets at Damiani. Next step: The pages will be shipped to the south of Italy near Naples where another company will stitch the binding. And after that the hardcover will be added. I learned Tuesday that the title and my name will be stamped on the cover with a slight embossing. The white letters will stand out on the elegant black linen cover.

One of the things that stands out about my experience here is the quality of Damiani’s printing. The colors are rich, saturated and simply beautiful. There is a depth to the photos that is difficult to achieve in book printing. I think the skilled artisans at Damiani are printing books that rival the very best fine-art digital printing used to create limited-edition prints for art collectors. I am so happy that Damiani is my publisher and I am looking forward to sharing these books with buyers.

(Buy the book here:

www.Vietnam40YearsLater.com.)

Printers put new plates on press (left). Pages are turned over to print on reverse side.

As the big sheets roll off the press, Davide checks them for color, contrast and other characteristics.

Pages that were printed Monday were run through the press on Tuesday to print on the reverse side.

Davide takes a sheet and makes sure that the images are in proper sequence.

A close-up of one of the sheets reveals the book will have portraits of Vietnamese people.

Damiani tries not to waste paper. But there is some in every book printing.

And here is Vietnam 40 Years Later stacked on seven pallets about 2,000 pages deep.