Large cross-genre gallery of best book covers?

August 16, 2004 9:53 PM

I am looking for a large gallery of "best" book cover illustrations and designs. I want cross genre examples from any time period and any country. Hours of googling have turned up many images from the pulps of the 40s and 50s, most of them entertaining rather than well designed. Amazon is good but to random a process. Anyone know of anything like this?
posted by Grod to education (5 answers total)

Cheshire Dave had a series called Judging Books by Their Covers which highlighted beautiful cover design -- but only from the present day.
posted by Aaorn at 5:41 AM on August 17, 2004

Readerville has an ongoing Most Coveted Covers thread.
Great site, interesting, literate community, but it runs on Web Crossing, and is a subscription site.
posted by theora55 at 6:25 AM on August 17, 2004

Offline, but I'd say your best bet is the library of an art or design school (or department at a larger college/university) ... or browsing at a fancy bookstore. I've come across art-press books of magazine and book covers before in publisher's catalogs, so I know that they are out there.
posted by armchairsocialist at 6:33 AM on August 17, 2004

You might find stuff by googling for "Chip Kidd"-- he's the current king of covers. People who have info on him may lead you to others, or if he has a site with his influences listed.
posted by amberglow at 10:53 AM on August 17, 2004

amberglow, yeah, I'm very familiar with Chip Kidd, I've even read his novel (which I first picked up because of the cover).

Thanks everyone.
posted by Grod at 3:25 PM on August 17, 2004