Edward Gorey: cover star of book design

The author and illustrator is much revered for his own weird and wonderful books, yet his 200-plus jacket designs are virtually ignored. Steven Heller celebrates his contribution to a unique era of publishingDeliciously and subversively cryptic, Edward St John Gorey’s books, plays, postcards, toys, stage sets and costumes – indeed an entire lifetime of utterly sublime, mockingly apprehensive artistry and authorship – are celebrated and critically acclaimed by everyone from cultural pundits to goth cultists. The rare front-page New York Times obituary, on 17 April 2000, is testament to Gorey’s eclectic narrative range. “In creating a large body of small work, he made an indelible imprint on noir fiction and on the psyche of his admirers,” Mel Gussow wrote.Yet, understandably, less attention is devoted today to the 200-plus illustrated paperback covers and hardcover jackets that Chicago-born, Harvard-educated Gorey (known to his friends as Ted) created while working as a staff artist, art director, editor and freelance illustrator at various American publishing houses for a large portion of his career. In two brief sentences, his obituary tossed aside this impressive output: “After graduation he remained in Boston, illustrating book jackets. Then he went to New York and worked in the art department at Doubleday, staying late in the office to create his own books.” Continue reading... Continue reading at 'The Guardian'

[ The Guardian | 2015-07-31 00:00:00 UTC ]
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Edwards-Jones launches Great Big Book Club

Author Imogen Edwards-Jones and friends have launched the online Great Big Book Club featuring author interviews, book reviews and a series of “Lockdown Lunches”. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-04-27 10:03:35 UTC ]
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Add a kick to your online shopping with these rare books from MoMA Design Store.

Here’s some news to mix up your quarantine-driven online shopping life: the MoMA Design Store has just released a selection of rare books from its archive, and they’re now on sale at its website. The books include seminal texts like a first edition of William Eggleston’s Guide by John Szarkowski... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-04-20 20:00:04 UTC ]
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Variations on Penguin Book Cover Mugs

All the variations you could ever want of those iconic orange and white Penguin book covers on your favorite medium: mugs. Duh! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-03-23 10:35:49 UTC ]
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London Book Fair 2020: Sharjah Stars As Market Focus

At the London Book Fair, the United Arab Emirates plan a wide range of events to highlight its authors and culture. Continue reading at Publishers Weekly

[ Publishers Weekly | 2020-02-28 05:00:00 UTC ]
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Barbara Remington, Illustrator of Tolkien Book Covers, Dies at 90

Her work for the 1965 paperback editions of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” achieved mass-cult status. But she hadn’t read the books when she got the job. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-02-17 17:30:40 UTC ]
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Barbara Remington, Illustrator of Tolkien Book Covers, Dies at 90

Her work for the 1965 paperback editions of “The Lord of the Rings” and “The Hobbit” achieved mass-cult status. But she hadn’t read the books when she got the job. Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-02-15 22:27:37 UTC ]
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Qandeel Baloch was a social media star in Pakistan. A new book explores her life and murder.

“A Woman Like Her” is both an intimate portrait and a sweeping look at cultural shifts — and the price paid by women. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-02-06 15:00:00 UTC ]
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Barnes & Noble Reverses Course on Redesigned Book Covers

The bookseller planned to promote classic novels with covers featuring people of color for Black History Month. Critics accused it of “literary blackface.” Continue reading at The New York Times

[ The New York Times | 2020-02-05 23:31:49 UTC ]
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How a Book Cover Gets Made: Nicole Caputo on Belletrist’s Studio Sessions

The folks behind Belletrist—which is so much more than a beloved Bookstagram account—are debuting a short video documentary series, Studio Sessions, in which they take a behind-the-scenes look at the artistic process of graphic novelists, illustrators, and designers. (Check out episode one, with... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2020-01-21 20:40:57 UTC ]
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2020 YA Book Covers Bring Disability Representation to the Forefront

These 2020 YA book covers showcase disability representation -- and may be the start of the sea change we need. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2020-01-13 11:37:47 UTC ]
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'Queer Eye' star Jonathan Van Ness to publish début picture book with HarperCollins

HarperCollins has scooped the début picture book from “Queer Eye” star Jonathan Van Ness about a gender non-binary guinea pig. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-08 06:46:35 UTC ]
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Top 10 Nancy Drew Book Covers

Those yellow hardback Nancy Drew book covers are almost as iconic as the girl detective herself. But which ones are the best? Read on to find out! Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-12-10 11:37:29 UTC ]
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PRH Uses UK Designer for Holiday Campaign, Adds 300,000 Books to Donation

Penguin Random House has a new UK-built D2C holiday gift selector, and ups its donation to longtime charity partner First Book. The post PRH Uses UK Designer for Holiday Campaign, Adds 300,000 Books to Donation appeared first on Publishing Perspectives. Continue reading at Publishing Perspectives

[ Publishing Perspectives | 2019-12-05 08:30:52 UTC ]
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Sometimes You Have to Build the Book Cover in Your Living Room

Humiliation is a debut collection of nine stories by Paulina Flores. Each story takes place in Chile, in port cities marked by poverty, and all are tied together with the themes of disgrace, pride and shame experienced both publicly and personally by each of the richly described characters.... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-26 09:49:20 UTC ]
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HarperCollins scoops book from social media stars Irving and dog Max

HarperCollins has acquired “a heartwarming tale” of the friendship between car crash survivor Kerry Irving and Max the Springer Spaniel after their story proved a social media hit. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-25 11:02:19 UTC ]
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The 78 Best Book Covers of 2019

This year, at Lit Hub, we spent a lot of time thinking about book cover design. Oliver Munday wrote about designing the cover for Fleur Jaeggy’s newly reissued masterpiece Sweet Days of Discipline; Tree Abraham wrote about designing the (very glittery) cover for T Kira Madden’s Long Live the... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-25 09:49:03 UTC ]
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Nobody Looks Like Me: Seeking Diverse Book Covers

For young people of color, it has been historically difficult to find diverse YA book covers. But now? It's gettting better. Continue reading at Book Riot

[ Book Riot | 2019-11-22 11:40:38 UTC ]
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The 10 Best Book Covers of November

Another month of books, another month of book covers. November is when publishing starts slowing down a bit for the holidays, but even that couldn’t keep the beautiful books—and weird books, and funny-as-hell books—down. Below are my ten favorite book covers from the month (some of them are even... Continue reading at Literrary Hub

[ Literrary Hub | 2019-11-22 09:48:02 UTC ]
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Saltire Society unveils shortlist for new Scottish book cover award

Books from publishers including 404 ink and Charco Press have been shortlisted for a brand-new award celebrating "the enormous talent Scotland has in book production and design" as part of the 2019 Saltire Literary Awards. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-18 17:30:02 UTC ]
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New Hunger Games book title and cover revealed by Scholastic

Scholastic has announced the next instalment in Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games series will be called The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes.   Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-10-03 15:14:24 UTC ]
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