Books Covered by Tobias

NFCGA No. 5: The Road to Dallas

It's amazing how a simple decision to crop a photo in dramatic fashion can carry a whole cover. Such is the case with The Road to Dallas. I imagine designing a cover for yet another book on the Kennedy assassination could offer all the excitement of creating a cover for yet another book about Christmas or the Beatles (I mean, what is left to do?). But, beating the expectations game here succeeds because there is not the expected photo of the motorcade, President Kennedy, or the book depository. The anonymity of the figures, the empty back seat and the low contrast of the halftone carry a lot of weight here.

Title: The Road to Dallas
Author: David Kaiser
Publisher: Harvard University/Belknap Press
Designer: Jill Breitbarth, Harvard Univ. Press

NFCGA No. 4: Dishwasher

It is nice to see a great use of illustration for a non-fiction book. It is way too easy to rely on a stock image to carry a cover. Gregg did an outstanding job with the cover. Clean, fun and a little retro.

Title: Dishwasher
Author: Pete Jordan
Designer: Gregg Kulick

NFCGA No. 3: Rock On

How could any cover with art by Gary Baseman not be great?

Title: Rock On
Author: Dan Kennedy
Designer: If you know, let me know

NFCGA No. 2: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles

I'm a sucker for covers which integrate the title with the cover photo. This book is a fine example.

Title: The Fortune Cookie Chronicles
Author: Jennifer 8. Lee
Designer: Anne Twomey (Thanks to the author for the info.)

The Non-fiction Cover Genius Award: No. 1

Here is a beautiful cover. Somewhat expected, perhaps, but well executed. A perfect example of an appropriate cover.

Title: The Perfect Scent
Author: Chandler Burr
Designer: Lisa Fyfe

The Non-fiction Cover Genius Awards

Why do fiction books get all the glory? In my experience non-fiction is often more of a challenge to design than fiction. I guess it has something to do with the freedom that novels allow. With a novel there is a great deal more latitude with subject matter, tone, feeling, etc. But, with non-fiction, it is tight. Non-fiction deals with facts and with readers who want to know those facts. Making those kind of books look good and still retain the credibility that the book demands (how-to books, biographies, religion, etc.) is not easy. On one level you run the risk of making non-fiction look dry, academic and boring. On the other hand too much "creativity" might damage the very credibility that the book is trying to sell. Such a dilemma.

So, in honor of those designers who pull off non-fiction cover design successfully and get no respect, I thought I would start featuring some of them on this blog: the Non-fiction Cover Genius Awards. I hope to present good options. And, of course debate is welcome.