For print books the half-title page is backed by a blank page but the full title page is backed by the copyright page. The first page of the bodymatter (chapter 1 in most cases) is recto faced by a blank verso. There are workarounds that obtain this layout. First \standardmakeup command must be modified thus: \setupmakeup[standard][page=yes, doublesided=no] Then to get a blank page after the half title We must insert a dummy page thus: \startstandardmakeup \null \stopstandardmakeup These two moves put a blank page after the half title but forbid it thereafter. The blank page after \startbodymatter, after \startbackmatter and after \startappendix is provided by: \setupsectionblock[frontpart][page=] \setupsectionblock[bodypart] [page=] \setupsectionblock[backpart] [page=] \setupsectionblock[appendix] [page=] This combination of workarounds gets the job done. There may be other combinations that do it as well. My suggestion is that all the above setup commands should be built into context. It takes some exploration of the mailing list to ferret out these layout techniques. I have already added them to my boilerplate macros.tex file that I insert in every book layout file. But others have to discover these techniques afresh when they start using Context for books. -- John Culleton Wexford Press Free list of books for self-publishers: http://wexfordpress.net/shortlist.html PDF e-book: "Create Book Covers with Scribus" available at http://www.booklocker.com/books/4055.html