New Aesthetics in Book Design

Today was a good mail day as I finally was able to get my hands on a copy of A Book on Books: New Aesthetics in Book Design, and let me just say this book is more than I was hoping for.

I had no idea that it was so richly designed from front to spine, to back, and all the pages in between. I understood it was a portfolio of sorts from Hong Kong, but the talent showcased inside is amazing. As it turns out, this book is a retrospective of 20 years of collaborative printing and publishing (which is intriguing) from a company called victionary:workshop.

The book was first published in 2020 and features lots of publisher and printing case studies. So the “New Aesthetics in Book Design” holds up very well only three years later.

Not only does the silver print on the black pages look elegant and crisp, but there are “Spotlight On…” sidebars and sections where the paper is more of a glossy sheet than the rich matte black used everywhere else.

Sitting alongside some fantastic images of books are written essays with titles like “Do You Think It Is Fair That Books Are Judged by Their Covers…” and “Which Book Inspires You The Most and Continues to Make an Impact in Your Life?” and “What Are the Roles of Printed Books in the Digital Era…” (I’ll be sure to report back). So, there is a lot more to this book than just print samples and overly designed photo essays.

It’s going to be a good weekend! I hope you have a wonderfully bookish read close by to enjoy yourself.