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Monday, December 26, 2005

"You Can Tell a Book By Its Cover"

Kottke posted a link to this story about the business of designing book jackets and covers.

I thought it would be fun to look at some of the covers they discuss.

This biography of John Peel looks pretty cool to me. I love the photo, and "PEEL" is big, as it should be.



But check out what the article says: "Despite rave reviews the John Peel autobiography has not done as brilliantly as it might have, and its very dark cover probably appeals more to men than women; it sinks into the background in the bookshop." Interesting, no?

The head buyer for Waterstone's says this about the following title (both hard cover and paperback are below):




“No one would be able to sum up this very unusual, complicated tale in a cover, so instead this cover said: ‘This book is unlike any book you’ll ever read.’ Opinion was split before it was published, but it worked.”

I like both of these, especially when compared to the the American version.

3 comments:

pinaki said...

brilliant book and an equally great cover. I like the pop look of the book.

Linda Maye Adams said...

I wouldn't have looked at any of the three because of the cover.

Kitty said...

The PEEL autobio is very good; I'd at least pick it up and look inside.

Of the other three, I prefer the 2nd one, although I doubt it would entice me to look inside, and that's what the cover art is all about after all, isn't it.