A Book About Covers
A new book is coming out, Chip Kidd: Book One Work: 1986-2006. Who is Chip Kidd? Okay, I have to admit I didn’t know until Details magazine told me. He’s "the most acclaimed book-jacket designer of the past two decades." So, now you know. The book includes covers, drafts and anecdotes. And, here’s my favorite, is half hardcover and half paperback. I swear that’s what the article says.
Here’s one of Kidd’s upcoming covers. Details thinks it will be controversial. Yeah, at first it didn’t look that controversial to me either, but the book is about rich people in Manhattan post-9/11. Look at it again. Uh-huh. Controversy .
October 26th, 2005 at 10:58 am
I must be missing something. It’s a whole cup and plate covered in ashes. I assume from one of the towers. Is there something else there I’m not seeing? Or do I just need more caffeine?
October 26th, 2005 at 12:23 pm
I’m thinking the controversy is a combination of the subject matter and the coffee cup that looks like debris from the Towers. The thought being, some folks aren’t going to be pleased with the visual. The real answer is that Details magazine might be looking to start a fight where none exists.
October 26th, 2005 at 12:55 pm
Chip Kidd also designed/wrote a book a while back called, The Cheese Monkeys: A novel in two semesters, which had a lot of interesting stuff going on (when you looked at the page edges with the book closed, they spelled Cheese Monkey). His covers are very recognizable (and he’s well known for being the man who created the Jurassic Park symbol for Crichton. I’m not surprised that his new book would try to be both a paperback and a hardback, although I imagine the binding will be hard to affix (not to mention the book will cost a lot).
Another designer to check out, although he’s priced himself out of the market a bit, is Mark Yankus. Gorgeous stuff. Check out his profolio here:
http://www.niceboy.com/pages/main.html
L
October 26th, 2005 at 1:42 pm
I apologize if I came across as insensitive. My reaction to this cover before your explanation was a deep sadness. Which is what I feel when reminded of 9/11.
There are going to be a lot of books about 9/11. It will be interesting to see how they are received.
October 26th, 2005 at 1:50 pm
Sandy - No apologies necessary. I’m not offended by the cover, but I guess others might be. And, I think you’re right about 9/11 books. I read one by S.J. Rozan (I think the title was Absent Friends). It’s a tough subject but some authors are taking it on.
L - Thanks for the info. Will check out Mark’s covers, too. I’m one of those folks who buys authors not-known-to-me if I see a cover I like, so I always enjoy reading about this stuff.