Vintage is re-releasing six of Iris Murdoch's novels with fabulous new covers. The covers are beautiful, bright, enchanting; colors and shapes caress your eye. The covers alone are a reason to want to make some new book purchases.
Which brings me to my point. Sometimes, smug people like to say, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Or, in the words of the irritating new Mary Poppins, "The cover is not the book."
To that I'd like to say: The cover is also not *not* the book. It's fine to value a beautiful cover. I could not read Ann Patchett's essays when they were in galley form, because that form was not aesthetically pleasing. But I do have the essays in their Harper Perennial paperback form, and suddenly I'm in love.
My nominees for the three best covers in recent history:
*Ottessa Moshfegh, "My Year of Rest and Relaxation." The shocking pink lettering was justly celebrated--for the way it conflicted with the Jane Austen-ish cover image. Weird and just as effective as the book itself.
*Ann Patchett (hello again!), "Commonwealth." When the hardcover cover becomes the paperback cover, you know you have an effective image. Those oranges--linked with a memorable first scene in the novel--seem luscious and elegant and flawless (just as the writing is, also, all of the above).
*Andrew Rannells, "Too Much Is Not Enough." A photo to die for. Is it possible to have a book cover that makes you laugh? If so, this is the one.
Those are just my favorites. Your nominees are welcome here!
Which brings me to my point. Sometimes, smug people like to say, "Don't judge a book by its cover." Or, in the words of the irritating new Mary Poppins, "The cover is not the book."
To that I'd like to say: The cover is also not *not* the book. It's fine to value a beautiful cover. I could not read Ann Patchett's essays when they were in galley form, because that form was not aesthetically pleasing. But I do have the essays in their Harper Perennial paperback form, and suddenly I'm in love.
My nominees for the three best covers in recent history:
*Ottessa Moshfegh, "My Year of Rest and Relaxation." The shocking pink lettering was justly celebrated--for the way it conflicted with the Jane Austen-ish cover image. Weird and just as effective as the book itself.
*Ann Patchett (hello again!), "Commonwealth." When the hardcover cover becomes the paperback cover, you know you have an effective image. Those oranges--linked with a memorable first scene in the novel--seem luscious and elegant and flawless (just as the writing is, also, all of the above).
*Andrew Rannells, "Too Much Is Not Enough." A photo to die for. Is it possible to have a book cover that makes you laugh? If so, this is the one.
Those are just my favorites. Your nominees are welcome here!
I just tetxed you a fabulous book cover
ReplyDeleteYes, I agree. It reminds me of a Stephen King pulpy cover for a novel called "Joyland." I like when a cover has a tagline!
ReplyDelete