When Creativity Takes A Wrong Turn: Lousy Book Covers

Aptly titled new Tumblr "Lousy Book Covers" collects the delightfully dubious achievements in jacket design. The book Spending Christmas With a Yeti is already at a marketplace disadvantage, what with that title, but then there’s the book cover. Oh boy, where to start. The real-life snowcapped mountain intruded upon by a clip-art Ford Explorer and what looks like an albino King Kong drawing? The puke-green background behind the title? Fortunately, for our amusement at least, it was efforts like this one for which the "Lousy Book Covers" Tumblr was made. In an age of consumer-as-creator, it’s sometimes fun to see the self-generated works that aren’t soaring aesthetic achievements. Creator Nathan Shumate is a writer and artist who also--wait for it--designs book covers. This expertise gives him special insight into what makes these book covers so bad, but anyone can plainly see that perhaps Chip Kidd was not called in on these jobs. Most covers featured on the site look like self-published works gone horribly wrong. Of course, the major publishing houses are also capable of putting out the occasional clunker every now and then.Read Full Story Continue reading at 'Fast Company'

[ Fast Company | 2013-01-10 00:00:00 UTC ]
News tagged with: #book cover #book covers #chip kidd #covers featured

Other Publishing stories related to: 'When Creativity Takes A Wrong Turn: Lousy Book Covers'


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #bookseller


Q&A: Reagan Arthur on taking the reins of book publisher Alfred A. Knopf

Reagan Arthur on becoming head of Alfred A. Knopf, publisher of Toni Morrison, Stieg Larsson and many others. Continue reading at Los Angeles Times

[ Los Angeles Times | 2020-01-29 21:12:26 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #reagan arthur #toni morrison #stieg larsson #book publisher


Cairo international book fair turns away jailed publisher's company

Khaled Lotfy, whose firm Tanmia published a new edition of a book about Egyptian double agent Ashraf Marwan, has been sentenced to five yearsCairo international book fair has excluded imprisoned publisher Khaled Lotfy’s firm from the event citing “security reasons”, the International Publishers... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2020-01-22 13:55:22 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #khaled lotfy #netflix film #publishers association


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #studio sessions #graphic novelists #book cover


When it comes to happiness, Americans are doing it wrong. These books are here to help.

On the heels of the hygge craze, a rush of new books delve into fika, ichigo ichie and other lessons from around the globe. Continue reading at The Washington Post

[ The Washington Post | 2020-01-15 14:00:00 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books delve


Macmillan Children's Books takes two from Haddow and Adeola

Macmillan Children’s Books has signed two picture books from author Swapna Haddow and illustrator Dapo Adeola. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2020-01-14 02:40:17 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books takes #picture books #macmillan children #macmillan


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #sea change #ya book


Turning a new page: the rise of #Merky Books

Malorie Blackman sold her life story to them, other hot authors are lining up. What makes Stormzy’s imprint so different?In a glass-walled meeting room on the fifth floor of Penguin Random House headquarters in Pimlico, Theophina Gabriel is talking about her love of reading while laughing at her... Continue reading at The Guardian

[ The Guardian | 2019-12-16 08:00:15 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #brand manager #previously worked ##merky books #penguin random house


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #hardback


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #living room #debut collection #book cover


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book covers #lit hub #kira madden #long live #fatherless girls #book cover


A Comic Book Vigilante Turned Zen Buddhist Is the Missing Link Between Watchmen’s Rorschach and Looking Glass

A right-wing hero called the Question inspired Watchmen’s faceless vigilante. But later stories took the character in a very different direction. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2019-11-22 19:45:46 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #missing link #comic book


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #ya book #diverse book


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book covers #favorite book


How a Master Illustrator Turned an Old English Carol Into the Perfect Children’s Book for Thanksgiving

Peter Spier’s take on The Fox Went Out on a Chilly Night is full of mischief and beauty. Continue reading at Slate

[ Slate | 2019-11-21 12:30:01 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #children’s book


2020's Academic Book Week to take environmental theme

The fifth Academic Book Week will take place from 9th to 13th March 2020, with 'Academic Books and the Environment' as its central theme. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-20 13:05:13 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #environmental theme #academic books #central theme #book week


Epica Awards’ Longtime Book Editor on How Creativity Keeps Changing

A jury of advertising journalists from around the world is convening in Amsterdam this week to select the best ads of the year--an honor distinct for two reasons. It's the only show judged by an impartial jury, meaning no brands or agencies vote. And it comes at both the end and the beginning of... Continue reading at AdWeek

[ AdWeek | 2019-11-19 22:51:24 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #book editor


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 ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #charco press #book production #publishers including #scottish book


Adele Parks takes over books coverage in new Platinum Magazine

The newly launched Platinum Magazine, a magazine aimed at women over 55, has launched a books section edited by novelist Adele Parks. Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-18 05:39:11 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #books coverage


Atwood takes book tour to Australia and New Zealand

Margaret Atwood is taking her book tour to Australia and New Zealand next year in celebration of the global publication of The Testaments (Vintage). Continue reading at The Bookseller

[ The Bookseller | 2019-11-18 00:57:59 UTC ]
More news stories like this | News stories tagged with: #margaret atwood #global publication #testaments vintage #book tour