The composition of a book

Front matter

• Half-title: Usually contains:
  • a picture,
  • the title in fancy letters,
  • and anything you would expect to have in the cover page. This is page 1, and it is a right side page.
• Empty: This is page 2, and it is a left page. It's the back of the cover page, and usually left blank.
• Title page: A boring looking but elegant composition with the title (again), the sub-title, the authors, and little else. This is page 3, a right page, and the actual first page of your book.
• Information (copyright notice, ISBN, etc.). This is page 4, a left side.
• Dedication if any, else empty. This is page 5, a right side. The idea is that table of contents starts in an even page, as it is not a title.
• Table of contents
• List of figures (can be in the backmatter, too)
• Preface chapter. There can be more than one. You can present the author(s), your intentions, or whatever information relevant to introduce your book.

Main matter

Main topic, divided in chapters. Optionally, chapters are organized in parts.

Appendix

Some subordinate chapters

Back matter

• Bibliography
• Glossary / Index