I counted them not too long ago. I am the proud owner of over 1,200 pieces of art. That’s a collection worthy of a small museum! You might think I own a castle to keep all this art safe and on display. Well no. My house is of average size, and my walls are not covered from floor to ceiling. So, “Where do you keep all that art?” you might ask. “Well, on my shelves, in my libraries” will be my answer because I consider book covers as art forms and as art pieces in themselves. 

Why art pieces? Well, let’s go by the definition of art from the Merriam-Webster Dictionary. Art is a “skill acquired by experience, study, or observation, and it is “the conscious use of skill and creative imagination especially in the production of aesthetic objects.” So, let’s apply this definition to book covers. Does the design of a cover require skills? Yes. Are these skills acquired? Often, yes. Is the design a conscious use of skills and necessitates imagination? Certainly. Are books aesthetic objects? I think they are, so we display them in libraries, living rooms, or museums.

Publishers and cover designers spend time designing covers. Attention is devoted to the design after the book is written because covers are the gateway to the content. We open a cover like we open a door. Often perceived as a marketing tool, they are more than that. 

Covers incorporate elements of traditional art forms such as painting, photography, storytelling, or even cave painting. They consider matters of space occupation, space management, color contrast and association, composition, texture, lines, etc. There are book covers that are so iconic you could name the title even if it were not printed. Some of them are: 

• The Great Gatsby, book cover by Francis Cugat, 1925.
• To Kill a Mockingbird, book cover by Shirley Smith, 1960
• A Confederacy of Dunces, book cover by Charles Rue Wood, 1987

More importantly, a cover, like art, creates an emotional connection with the potential reader. A cover can attract or repulse the reader. They make us think, smile, or cringe. Like the proverbial cookies scream “Eat Me!” in Alice in Wonderland, the covers tell us, “Read me!” And like the cookies, chances are, the content hidden behind the cover will make us grow. A cover will capture the essence of a book and translate the written message to a visual the potential reader will look at for about 5 seconds. Covers should capture, summarize, inform, and diffuse content. So, the cover designer or cover artist has one chance to captivate and grab the reader’s attention. After the title, the front cover will either lead to the next step, reading the back cover or doom the book to be returned to the shelf. 

To conclude, here are some of my favorite book covers:

Union Square Books and Co.‘s book covers feature graphic art designs that bring a modern twist to classic literature.

Harper Muse—Painted Edition. These covers are just art. One look at the cover, and we can guess the content. That’s probably why the titles are printed small! 

How about you? What are your favorite covers?  Which book covers would you consider as iconic? Or what are some terrible covers you have seen or that rebuked you? Please leave your comments below. Also, remember to take the quiz “Name That Book by the Cover” by clicking here.

And as always, happy reading!

M. D. Crackower is the author of “Strategy: A Divine Blueprint for Spiritual Battles”. Available on Amazon.com.