"abstract" for each part in BOOK class

Question

Is there a way to add a small paragraph (a sort of abstract) at the beginning of every \part, in the book class ? i know that there are numerous way to do that with scrreprt class, but I need to keep my book class... If possible, I would like to have this paragraph on the same page as the part title one.

Thank you in advance for your answers

Brice

Answer 1

You can define a partwithabstract environment:

\documentclass[oneside]{book}

\usepackage{xpatch}

\makeatletter
\xpatchcmd{\part}{\null\vfil}{\vspace*{.1\textheight}}{}{}

\providecommand{\abstractname}{Abstract}
\newenvironment{partwithabstract}
  {\begingroup\let\@endpart\relax\part@withabstract}
  {\endquotation\endgroup\@endpart}
\newcommand{\part@withabstract}{\@dblarg\part@@withabstract}
\def\part@@withabstract[#1]#2{%
  \part[#1]{#2}%
  \vfil
  \begin{center}\bfseries\abstractname\vspace{-.5em}\vspace{\z@}\end{center}
  \quotation
}
\makeatother

\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}

\tableofcontents

\begin{partwithabstract}{First Part}
\lipsum[1-2]
\end{partwithabstract}

\begin{partwithabstract}[Second for the TOC]{Second Part}
\lipsum[2]
\end{partwithabstract}

\end{document}

The main change is that the title is set at a fixed height from the top; the abstract is vertically centered in the remaining space (it's your responsibility to make it fit).

If you change \vfil into \vfill in the definition of \part@@withabstract, that is, do

\def\part@@withabstract[#1]#2{%
  \part[#1]{#2}%
  \vfill
  \begin{center}\bfseries\abstractname\vspace{-.5em}\vspace{\z@}\end{center}
  \quotation
}

the abstract will be flush with the bottom margin.

You can remove the \abstractname related bit, if you so prefer: the code to remove is

  \begin{center}\bfseries\abstractname\vspace{-.5em}\vspace{\z@}\end{center}

Technical note I used oneside just for showing the two part pages side by side.

Answer 2

I've copied abstract definition from article class and changed it slightly, also defining \abstractname.

In addition, there's a command \injectabstract which comes into action right before \@endpart, i.e. after the title of the part has been typeset.

\injectabstract checks whether \@localabstract is defined and typesets the abstract accordingly or does nothing, if it is not defined.

\localabstract is a wrapper command that is meant to store the content for the next abstract.

For each part that should have such an abstract use \localabstract with the relevant content.

\documentclass[notitlepage]{book}

\usepackage{xpatch}

\makeatletter

\newcommand{\abstractname}{Abstract}
\if@titlepage
\newenvironment{abstract}{%
  \null\vfil
  \@beginparpenalty\@lowpenalty
  \begin{center}%
        \bfseries \abstractname
        \@endparpenalty\@M
      \end{center}}%
     {\par\vfil\null\endtitlepage}
\else
  \newenvironment{abstract}{%
      \if@twocolumn
        \section*{\abstractname}%
      \else
        \small
        \begin{center}%
          {\bfseries \abstractname\vspace{-.5em}\vspace{\z@}}%
        \end{center}%
        \quotation
      \fi}
      {\if@twocolumn\else\endquotation\fi}
\fi

\newcommand{\localabstract}[1]{%
  \def\@localabstract{#1}%
}

\newcommand{\injectabstract}{%
  \@ifundefined{@localabstract}{%
  }{%
    \begin{abstract}
      \@localabstract%
  \end{abstract}%
  }
  \let\@localabstract\relax%
}

\xpretocmd{\@endpart}{%
  \injectabstract\par%
}{}{}

\makeatother

\usepackage{blindtext}

\begin{document}
\localabstract{\blindtext}
\part{Foo}

\part{Foobar}
\end{document}

Answer 3

Very simple:

\documentclass{book}
\usepackage{xpatch}
\makeatletter
\xpretocmd{\@endpart}{%
  \ifx\@abstract\@empty\else
    \bigskip
    \begin{quote}\@abstract\end{quote}
    \global\let\@abstract\@empty
  \fi
}{}{}
\newcommand{\partabstract}[1]{%
  \renewcommand{\@abstract}{#1}%
}
\newcommand{\@abstract}{}
\makeatother
\usepackage{lipsum}

\begin{document}
\partabstract{\lipsum[1-2]}
\part{First Part}

\chapter{First Chapter}
\lipsum

\partabstract{\lipsum[3]}
\part{Second Part}

\chapter{Second Chapter}
\lipsum

\part{Third Part}
\chapter{Third Chapter}
\lipsum

\end{document}