First scans - feedback sought

[effCup]

Here are some scans [edit: link removed] to illustrate some issues I'm currently facing.

a) black or white areas on reverse side showing through. NB, I scanned using an opaque brown piece of paper as "backing", plus 2 books. Still it shows through.

b) 2-page joins. What editing tools are good to use? I can "mend" some spots using spot healing or clone tools, but others are too difficult, or fiddly near the edges of colour areas, etc., i.e. I get unwanted effects.

c) levels, contrast, colour corrections. 05a shows all three used on "auto" in Photoshop. The scans were made on an Epson CX5900, with descreen & unsharp mask. The "orangey" tone is closer to the original than the post-fix 05a so I'll probably ditch the colour correction, but I think I prefer the levels & contrast effects (not shown in isolation, above).

d) page edges, creases, etc. What can I do to smooth/flatten/remove such? I think it's too much for the mend etc. tools mentioned in b) above?

Any suggestions?