A book can be defined as a physical object that consists of many sheets of paper, called pages that are bound together to form a solid object. Each page is filled with written words and/or pictures that convey a particular concept or idea. In the English-speaking world books are read from left to right and top to bottom, but this format is not used worldwide. Today, books commonly come in soft or hard covers and may be purchased in bookstores and other commercial enterprises or through mail -order services.
Books can contain more information besides the written discourse, which they are most noted for. Books might contain numbers that give financial information, as in an accountant's book, or pieces of visual information and written words as in a scrapbook. It is also possible to have a book that is all pictures. This kind of book can exist in the scrapbook form or as a selection of images. Furthermore, a book can be bound and covered and sold in a commercial endeavor such as a bookstore or gift shop. Many scrapbooks are one of a kind, but most commercially available books are printed in large-number editions.
A novel is a story that revolves around plot, character(s), usually in human form, and a theme that holds the tale together. A novel may not necessarily have a beginning and an end, but the written work still must stand alone as a readable concept. Also, the idea of a novel entails that the collection of words has a substantial length, which will engage the reader (or listener) in a prolonged process of interpretation. For example paperback and hardback novels that are sold in commercial bookstores usually have a minimum word count, beginning with around 50,000 words. These word limits separate the novel from the short story or fable.
Written books are broken into two basic groups, fiction and non-fiction. Non-fiction is a broad category that include many possible subjects, but the common denominator is that the story must be based on factual information, research or opinion. Memoir, biography, cookbooks, science reporting, nature observations, how-to-manuals, Hollywood gossip and current events are just some of the subject areas covered by non-fiction written books. Fiction on the other hand involves many kinds of storytelling, such as fantasy, short stories, science fiction and fairy tales. Not all storytelling can be described as a novel, but a complete novel definitely falls under the subheading of fiction
A novel can be presented in an audible form. This might include broadcast over the radio or Internet or it could be recorded on an audible cassette for the private pleasure of the listener. These presentations can be considered novels, even though they are not presented in the written book form. However, by definition a novel must be created in the written manner before it can be converted to any other form.