Abstract: A machine is provided for trimming the fore-edge of books including at least one conveyor device having two superposed belts mounted about relative pulleys, the distance between the adjacent branches of the two belts being equal to the thickness of the books, which are fed to one end of the conveyor device with their spine parallel to its direction of movement and their fore-edge to be trimmed projecting from the belts, a trimming blade movable in a vertical plane parallel to the direction of movement of the books, and a presser and counter-presser to make contact with opposing parts of a book block which are adjacent to the cutting plane of the trimming blade. The machine further comprises two furrowers, one for each of the two faces of the books to open openable book parts before the trimming operation.