I had the greatest little discovery last night. I was just glancing at my book shelves, thinking to myself, "Okay, some of these books have to go." There were old books from college, books I'll never read, books that are just there because I haven't found a way to unload them. In the past year or so I've gotten far less sentimental and territorial about my books. I used to like having lots of books around just so I looked like I had lot of books around, but now books I don't read or love just seem like excess weight and fluff. Clutter really.Anyway, I was glancing at a shelf I haven't looked at in a while and saw an old book from high school that a friend gave me called The Condemned of Altona by Jean Paul Sartre. I noticed that I had only made it through half the play (I saw an old Septa ticket I must have been using as a book mark). Existentialism was probably a little too heavy for train reading (it probably still is) but what struck me the most was the fantastic cover art. I thought, "This is an amazing book cover."
Thanks to the power of the internet, I googled the cover and discovered the work of designer Paul Rand ( Born Peretz Rosenbaum). Known mostly for his industry logos like the one he designed for IBM, Rand was also known for his book covers and posters. Here are a few samples of his work. There is also a website dedicated to him that's worth checking out. I love his sense of color and shape. He was obviously influenced and and even pushing the envelope of the aesthetic and modernist movement of his time, but his work is also commercial and appealing. I wish book covers still looked like this!
If you have a favorite book cover, please share! As I was researching, I saw there were blogs out there about book covers (well, I only actually found one, but I am sure there are more). The internet is truly breathtaking in its reach and nerdiness.
Sorry if this post seems rushed. K is watching Sesame Street and I need to get dressed and have him dressed and then get out the door. It's all about not missing "the window"!
Casey, I am glad to see this post because I too am a fan of book cover art. My friend Suzanne is a designer at Chronicle Books and recently wrote this interesting post about book covers: http://www.chroniclebooks.com/blog/?p=2971
ReplyDeleteI think this is one big reason why I am still not on the Kindle thing because i love owning books - they are like my little gems.
Oh, also, a few years back, wasn't it very popular to have photographs of people parts - a hand, a profile, the navel, as book covers? Sex sells!
ReplyDeleteE, post a cover you like! Also, if you don't mind, ask your friend Suzanne if she's ever heard of Paul Rand and if there are other designers she admires. And maybe post some of the covers she's worked on. Isn't Chronicle known for their designs? I never really got to know any of the book jacket designers when I was in publishing. I kind of regret that now. I wish I knew more about the process and the history. They were always the artsiest (is that a word???) and best looking people in the building. Maybe they intimidated me. Editorial people looked...well, as you would expect...bookish. Except for Robin of course. She always looked like Grace Kelly meets Irene Dunne:) And Stephanie...well, the publisher had to speak to her personally about how she looked (wink, wink). Steph was just too rock n' roll for the book world!
ReplyDeleteBut please do post something you like. And that goes for the rest of you as well!