---
name: "bookman"
section: "1"
platform: "linux"
package: "txt2man"
version: "1.7.1-4"
release: "Arch Linux 2026-11-01"
platforms: ["linux"]
url: "https://new.carta.tech/bookman"
---

# bookman(1)

Generate a book from man pages

## NAME

**bookman** - Generate a book from man pages

## SYNOPSIS

```
bookman [-pPxn] [-o outfile] [-a author] [-d date] [-r release]
[-t title] [-v volume] [-c coverfile] [manfile]
```

## DESCRIPTION

**bookman** compiles a set of man pages files specified by *manfile* arguments, or if no *manfile* is given, filenames are read from standard input.

## OPTIONS

- **-p**

  PDF output format.

- **-P**

  Postscript output format.

- **-x**

  X11 previewing, using [**gxditview**(1)](/gxditview/1.md).

- **-n**

  no format, output is direct gtroff intermediate format.

- **-o *outfile***

  Output in file *outfile*. Default is standard output.

- **-a *author***

  Set the *author*, on the cover page.

- **-d *date***

  Set the *date* on the cover page.

- **-r *release***

  Set the book name and *release* on the cover page.

- **-t *title***

  Set the *title* on the cover page.

- **-v *volume***

  Specify the name of the *volume*.

- **-c *coverfile***

  Uses the file *coverfile* to generate the cover page, i.e. all pages preceding the table of content. *coverfile* must be in [**groff\_ms**(7)](/groff_ms/7.md) format.

## ENVIRONMENT

- **SOURCE\_DATE\_EPOCH**

  Unix timestamp that is used for *date* in header instead of current *date*.

## EXAMPLE

To build a reference manual from section 2 man, do:

```
    $ cd /usr/share/man/man2
    $ bookman -p -t 'Unix Reference Manual' * >book.pdf
```

## SEE ALSO

[**man**(1)](/man/1.md), **mandoc**(7), [**groff\_ms**(7)](/groff_ms/7.md), [**groff**(1)](/groff/1.md), [**troff**(1)](/troff/1.md), [**grops**(1)](/grops/1.md), [**gxditview**(1)](/gxditview/1.md), [**ps2pdf**(1)](/ps2pdf/1.md).

## AUTHOR

Marc Vertes \<mvertes@free.fr\>