\documentclass{book} \usepackage{adjmulticol,lipsum} \evensidemargin=1.5in \oddsidemargin=-3em \textwidth=5in \begin{document} \textbf{main body margins, as defined.} \marginpar{[marginpar]} \lipsum[1-2] \begin{adjmulticols}{1}{12pt}{-2in} \textbf{multicols, 1, 12pt, -2in} \lipsum[3-4] \end{adjmulticols} \textbf{back main text} \marginpar{[marginpar]} \lipsum[12-14] \marginpar{[marginpar]} \begin{adjmulticols}{2}{12pt}{-2in} \textbf{multicols, 2, 12pt, -2in} \lipsum[6-15] \end{adjmulticols} \textbf{back main text} \marginpar{[marginpar]} \lipsum \marginpar{[marginpar]} \begin{adjmulticols*}{2}{12pt}{-2in} \textbf{multicols, 2, 12pt, -2in} \lipsum[6-16] \end{adjmulticols*} \end{document}