Along with bringing an inside look at the design process of a gifted practitioner, this book is a reminder of how outstanding publishing can be in terms of output. Holding the book (strong wrists are recommended), one knows at once that serious process and resources went into its production. All parts are in balance: cleverly authoritative cover; useful organization; page layout with decent gutters; quality of printing; mixture of personal and professional information; prose clarity; and photography style. Good as the individual elements are, however, they combine into something greater and make a totality that is at once beautiful and reassuring to those who care about the physical book. Particularly interesting to young designers on a career track will be the Q&A beginning at page 257 in which the author explores how designers age and advance and the implications for their work.
Peter Mendelsund has enjoyed years as a much-sought-after book cover designer and art director. Among the many recognizable jackets he has created are those for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo; collections of the works of Joyce, Kafka, Dostoevsky, de Beauvoir, and Foucault; the contemporary works of Martin Amis, Tom McCarthy, Ben Marcus, Jo Nesbø, and James Gleick; and many more. All have greatly benefitted from the care and touch Mendelsund gave them.
Cover abounds with Mendelsund's completed book jackets along with ephemera from his previously unseen creative method, including jacket sketches, interior art and editorial illustrations, 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.
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.
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