Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover
I do not own a lot of Penguin books, but some of my favorite books about books are about Penguin books! As a publisher, they are worthy of every bit of attention, fandom, and cult status they have achieved. Out of all my books about Penguin, the 2016 Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover is far and away my favorite. And if you like books about books, then I think this is one you will want to pick up.
Let me just say right off the bat (so I don't have to keep repeating myself) that Penguin books are incredibly well designed. Always have been. They understand the importance of books, the stories Penguin publishes, and are always willing to create contemporary versions of any book they have in the catalog. This is what makes this book so special.
It's not just a beautifully designed book about books; it tells you the stories behind the books. Meaning Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover dives into the decisions to update a classic series look or to do yet another cover design for a book that is so old that it has a dozen covers already.
Alongside the covers you can find at any bookshop are interviews with the Art Directors, Illustrators, Series Editors, Designers, Creative Directors, and a few nuggets from what authors had to say. These kinds of conversations will give you a new appreciation for the Penguin covers and text designs. I imagine it's the same kind of itch that some folks get from watching famous chefs cook on TV. It's fun. You learn something about the people behind the scenes, and you come to appreciate your own cooking (or books) in a new way. Maybe that's not the best metaphor...
The entry for Lovecraft's Cthulhu even shares the viewpoint from a critic and historian.
Anyway, one of my favorite features of the Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover is when they show the cover that went to press and then the "comp covers" or other concepts that did not make it. It is fascinating to see "what could have been" and the ideas that were left on the cutting room floor. Unless all of these designers and art directors have blogs I am unaware of, you just can't get this kind of information anywhere else.
If you get a chance, I highly recommend picking yourself up a copy or getting one for the Penguin collector you know. Books really are the best thing out there, and when you get a chance to see what some of the smartest designers, editors, publicists, and illustrators talk about, the whole world of books feels new.
