Cover

They say you can't judge a book by its cover—but that hasn't stopped anyone from trying. An original and visually engaging cover can help make the difference between a flop and a smash, and over the years more than a few designers have taken the creative and mysterious process to levels of supreme beauty and imagination. Peter Mendelsund is that kind of designer and Cover is the story of his love affair with books.

Renowned and award-winning designer of many best-selling books, Peter Mendelsund has enjoyed years as a much-sought-after designer and art director. Amongst the many recognizable covers he has created are those for the American edition of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and the following books of the Millennium trilogy; collections of the works of Joyce, Kafka, Dostoevsky, de Beauvoir, Bernhard, and Camus; the contemporary works of Peter Carey, Martin Amis, Tom McCarthy, Ben Marcus, Rick Bragg, and James Gleick; and many more. All have greatly benefitted from the care and touch Mendelsund gave their jackets.

The entire story of a book cover—from the moment a book is initially acquired to when it finally appears on bookstores' shelves—is explained and illustrated in Cover. Cover abounds with Mendelsund's completed book jackets along with ephemera from his previously unseen creative processes, including jacket sketches, interior art and illustrations, editorial illustration, and scores of rejected drafts. These images are punctuated by Mendelsund's reflections on his work and his process, as well as by texts from writers with whom he has worked and designed for, including bestselling crime writers, Pulitzer and Booker Prize-winning fiction and non-fiction authors, well-known scientists, actors, and politicians.

Cover is a compendium of beautiful design and a beautiful design object itself; a profile and celebration of one of the publishing world's most talented and prolific contemporary creators, and a brilliant showcase of his deft touch for balanced and innovative design.

"There's the old adage, of course, about not judging a book by its cover, but in this case I'd be delighted to have people make that leap—I think I'd easily come out the better for it."
—Scott Smith, Bestselling author of A Simple Plan and The Ruins

"Among the most beautiful book jackets I have ever seen."
—Rick Bragg, Pulitzer-Prize-winning author of All Over But the Shoutin'

"Thanks for what was not only the most memorable day of my life as a writer but also the most fun."
—Tom McCarthy, author of C and Remainder

"A contemporary design genius."
—Craig Thomson, Bestselling author of Blankets and Habibi

Peter Mendelsund is the Associate Art Director of Alfred A. Knopf Books, the Art Director of Pantheon Books, Art Director of Vertical Press, and a recovering classical pianist. His designs for Stieg Larsson's Girl with the Dragon Tattoo trilogy were described by The Wall Street Journal as being "the most instantly recognizable and iconic book covers in contemporary fiction," and The New Yorker called him "the force behind some of today's most recognizable book covers." His writing on literature, design, and other matters can be found on his blog: jacketmechanical.blogspot.com.