Day 81: The Worst Years of Your Life Mark Jude Pairier

For a science lover, I really don't know much about it. I love this cover though! I vaguely remember my first (and only) dissection in high school but after I dropped science I never ever got back into it. Unless you count watching science fiction movies.

I guess this book cover appeals to me because I haven't seen something like this in years. I mean school tests or exams. Let alone been excited about one. I never thought I'd see the day.

It's clever, original, and catchy. I can't give this cover any justice so I'll just leave you with one of the best blurbs I've read so far. Enjoy.

"Stories for the Geeked-Out, Angst-Riddled, Lust-Addled, and Deepy Misunderstood Adolescent in All of Us"

Day 80: Know Your Own Personality by H.J. Eysenck and Glenn Wilson

If you concentrate carefully on the scribble you can see a face in it. Clever! If it was one of the first things you noticed then well done to you. Us slower folk are right behind you.

This book cover is pretty interesting to me because it looks old and full of old-world thinking. In other words, it looks like a funny time.

Anyone else thinking Phrenology? Haha.

Phrenology is known as a pseudoscience focused on the actual measurements of the human skull. It bases its findings on the concept that the brain has certain areas that create and control specific functions. Or something like that. Now - although its not too far fetched from the truth just yet - it's theory and practice both depart from science in a big way. The next time you suggest someone gets their head checked, just remember this was literally done in the 19th century. Phrenology suggests that the functions of your body controlled by specific parts of your head were ascertained by measuring the bumps and indentations in your skull.

Franz Josef Gall, the "inventor" of phrenology was correct in suggesting the brain function was localised, but unfortunately, he got everything else wrong.

Depending on when this book was published - we may have another fraud on our hands.

Day 79: Sex in Society by Alex Comfort

How about this for a book cover? Sex in Society by Alex Comfort? Alex Comfort? If you know what I'm getting at...please let me know too. I'm confusing myself. What I tried to do there was create some sort of witty correlation between the words, "sex," and "comfort." Let's just move on quickly, shall we?

An attention grabbing book such as the above probably never intended to be. It's probably a course requirement for Pysch 101. Or a philosophy related course material.

I'm more interested in it being a Pelican Original. I feel like I should know what this is as it's oddly familiar. Please hold the line caller...

Oh snap! It's the non-fiction imprint of Penguin Books.

This is genuinely interesting because it looks nothing like the Penguin classics. This version is kind of like Penguin's naughty but funky lil' sibling. Don't get me wrong I like those classics. I like their book covers a lot. It's just that every now and then it's nice to be delightfully surprised.

Day 78: Soviet Science Fiction

Ah, my love for science fiction and Russia unite!

I know what you're thinking...

The Soviet Space Program.

No?

Huh.

I'd just like to point out the man doing javelin.

Also note the similarity to Time Magazine. 

And the Kremlin-inspired rocket?

Damn.

This book cover is damn cool.

Day 77: 5ПЯТИЛЕТКА

I think I was a Russian in a past life. A Russian or a Mongolian. I read Five Months in A Leaky Boat in primary school and became obsessed. It's not particularly a great book, at all. But I simply loved it and it sparked my love and interest in Russia (Mongolia too). This book, however, may be somewhat of a pill to swallow. Firstly, I don't speak Russian, unless vodka translates to vodka. Secondly, I don't read Russian, unless vodka translates to vodka. I'm beginning to think in these circumstances vodka could come in handy.

It is a really striking book cover even if I have no idea what's going on. There could be some hardcore blasphemy against the entire human race inside there. Bit of light reading, huh? And of course the colour red and Russia really transpire to something else. Putting my half-hearted political innuendos aside, the Russian culture, history and people are something to think about. Then again if you're not a history enthusiast like myself you can enjoy the design. This book cover is apparently quite famous.

Day 76: A Perfect Mess, The Hidden Benefits of Disorder by Eric Abrahamson and David H. Freedman

Oh how I can see you squirm. This picture doesn't bother me. I feel no great desire to correct the lamp or to correct the F. But thinking about those who I know would need to makes me laugh wholeheartedly. Of course, it's a sad condition, having the burning desire to wash your hands 30 times after doing anything. It's actually also quite annoying. How do you get anything done?  Rather than comment more I thought I'd leave you with some oddly satisfying images (even for me) to describe this cover. Enjoy.

Day 75: A Clockwork Orange by Anthony Burgess

Correct me if I'm wrong but I think this cover makes use of all of the primary colours. What a bold statement to make! Colour-blocking has become very fashionable in recent times, gracing the covers of magazines and fashion blogs as well as being seen on celebrity outings.

Let's back track for a second. Colour-blocking is known as wearing multiple solid colors in an outfit. Alright now fast forward. So you know what colour-blocking is, how do you do it? Take a hint from the above. Get the brightest colours from the opposite side of the colour wheel and give it a whirl. 

As you can see the possibilities are endless. Not without rules though, however flexible they may be. Black will always be classic, primary colours will always be the same, and figure flattery will still apply. I'm undecided about the above cover. Does he look like a warped Noddy character? See http://tinyurl.com/ph34vfn

Day 74: Creature by Andrew Zuckerman

If you've been piecing me together through this blog you'll know I love cats. Cats, dogs, cows, sheep, goats, you name it, I kinda love 'em. Animals are majestic creatures. But cats are my first true love.

Did you know, The Cat Fanciers' Association (wait, what?) recognizes 22 cat breeds that come with a solid black coat? Now you do. You're all the better for it. A solid black cat may be coal black, grayish black, or brownish black, with the exception of the oriental, sphynx and ragamuffin, just to name a few.

Although I have no idea what this book is about, judging from the cat, the title, and the colour, a few ideas pop to mind. Anarchy? Superstition? Bad luck? Who knows I'm not the one telling the story mate. Nevertheless the cover is striking and resounds within me. How can something so precious and innocent connote such negative themes? 

Day 73: Ramona by Helen Jackson

So far, most of the book covers I've reviewed have either been your stock standard hard cover or paperback. I believe this is the first textured book cover I've come across to feature on the blog!

When I think of a textured book, leather-bound books come straight to mind. People have leather-bound books for aesthetic reasons such as decorating a room or library shelves, and other people have leather-bound books that are simply versions of their favourite novels.

Whatever their motivations, I'm assuming this book cover isn't leather-bound. Instead it looks to me as if it's a rich, hard-wearing material. Perhaps linen (not that rich, even if you do pay a fortune for it) or canvas, both of which I have no particular knowledge about.

Either way, knowledgeable or not, there's no denying the wholesome, classical feeling you get when you see one of these books. It's like you're looking at a piece of history. And I have to mention the rich blue of the book! It's like a midnight swim.

Whether you own textured books and read them regularly or have them as mere displays, they're truly delightful.

Day 72: Let's Make Some Great Art by Marion Deuchars

Books like these inspire me because I can't draw to save my life and it's a skill I would love to have. But I do wonder, do books like these actually inspire anyone? I guess it depends on the quality of the content right. Unfortunately we can't just flip through this one and make a call.* But judging from this cover I'm sold.

I'm sold on three equal parts: the colour of the background, the typography, and the illustrated bird. According to colour psychology, blue is the colour of the intellectual. All "how-to" authors should take note. If you want readers to choose your book, appeal to their intellect. Typography is also important, especially when it comes to design and art themed books. Without knowing it, the reader can easily be put off or attracted to how a word looks. Hence serif and sans-serif both have their pros and cons.

Last but not least, I would like to know how to draw the tiny, snowy bird in the bottom right corner. There's nothing better than being able to draw an animal. Actually there is one thing that's better. That's being able to draw an animal that's recognised by others.

No props to Mona, she already got enough.

*Hence blog title.

Day 71: Street Art New York by Jaime Rojo and Steven P. Harrington

This book cover is particularly attractive to me because I appeal to books with strong visual imagery and bright intricate details (don't quote me on this - I am unpredictable and contradictory). I'm not particularly profound when it comes to art. I don't even really know how to appreciate the finer details. Sometimes I don't even know what I like and what I don't like.

This cover is something I particularly like because I have a genuine appreciation for street art. There are two schools of thought surrounding street art. Either you're a firm believer in the term graffiti and any form of writings or drawings, scribbled, scratched or sprayed in public places comes under that umbrella. I put myself in the category of the other school of thought, that the world is a canvas. Of course whenever you categorise something so arbitrary there will be grey areas. After all, how often can scribbling your name be called art?

Day 70: Jip en Janneke by Annie M.G. Schmidt en Fiep Westendorp

After choosing many children's book covers to judge, I thought about the need for young children to read the same book over and over again. What is with that? I'm the first to put my hand up and say I'm guilty of this. My habit started with The Babysitters' Club when I was about 6-years-old. To this day, whenever I am stuck without a book at my parents home, I'll find a Babysitters' Club book and happily read it. I guess the familiarity and ease of how we find ourselves in the same situations over again is what makes us human.

Day 69: Harry Potter e La Pietra Filosofale by J.K. Rowling

I stumbled across an article in The Observer where writer Tom Lamont wonders why the same books in different countries are given completely different covers. 

Take for example the above Harry Potter book cover. What prompted the Italian designers to give young Harry a mouse-shaped hat...wait what?

Of course there are the emotional reasons as to why:

"What you are trying to get across on a cover is the essence of a book, quite an ambiguous thing," says Nathan Burton, a British designer. "Designers in different countries read and interpret the fiction in different ways." 

And the business reasons: 

Julian Humphries, head cover designer at Fourth Estate: "Different sales channels have different sensibilities," It can be hard to pinpoint what exactly these sensibilities are – "It's a cultural thing," he says, "as taste-driven as different countries eating different things for breakfast" 

So there's a few obvious reasons as to why this is done. What comes from this is a majestic range of Harry Potter covers that you may not have seen before. Here are some of my favourites! 

Harry Potter rocks double denim

Harry Potter rocks a perm

Harry Potter rocks

Read the full article here: http://www.theguardian.com/artanddesign/2010/may/09/judge-book-by-cover

Day 68: Interim Goddess of Love by Mina V. Esguerra

Unfortunately my life is not as interesting as the characters embroiled in passionate and romantic novels such as this. Well so I imagine. So rather than bore you with what I know about...anything really, I decided to compile a list of quotes that sum up my thoughts on romantic novels. In no particular order, and in no particular sense I might add:

“I am ever a gentle maiden," she shouted. "Damn if I'm not.” 

- Julie Garwood, Honor's Splendour

“I had a romance novel inside me, but I paid three sailors to beat it out of me with steel pipes.” 

- Patton Oswalt

“I thought of writing a summary about you, but when I finished it was a book.” 

― Amit Kalantri, I Love You Too

“it takes one to know one” 

- Suzanne Collins

"Romance novels have this way of making real life not so romantic at all."

- Unknown 

And this last quote is probably the best. Capturing the moments of romantic novels that make you wonder why you read anything else, and the moments of romantic novels that make you want to read literally anything else:

"Always read something that will make you look good if you die in the middle of it."

- P.J. O'Rourke

Day 67: Jamaica's Best Beaches by Lebawit Lily Germa

If this book is designed to sell Jamaica's tourism industry to the world, I'd like to see how those figures are doing. From what I know about Jamaica, and can actively picture in my mind, this illustration does not do it justice. I could commission myself to take an image of Jamaica's worst beach on my 2-year-old iPhone 4S, apply no filter, and upload it to instagram with no hashtags and still reach over 20 likes. 

Challenge accepted. See you in Jamaica. 

Day 66: Esquimo by Fabricio Corsaletti

Upon researching international book covers I came across the 10th Brazilian Graphic Design Biennial in Sao Paulo earlier this year. This contemporary collection of Brazilian Graphic Design showcased a total of 444 projects which represents the best of Brazilian design over the last four years.

One of the four, "axes," as they're known, is called Editorial Biennial, with a focus on editorial publications and reading fonts. This is where I stumbled upon the above book cover created by Kiko Farkas/Maquina Estudio - whatever that means. There is a whole series of similar book covers and to be perfectly honest with you I'm not even sure they're actually books. There is a high chance I have no idea what they are.

Pushing all that aside, the one tone and black colour play together nicely on the book covers. It's skewed symmetry (what a contradiction) and simply typeface add dimension and depth while not confusing the viewer much, well, too much anyway.

See some of my favourites below.

Day 65: Pluk van de Petteflet by Annie M.G. Schmidt

In dedication to my Dutch m8 Renato, I have chosen a Dutch children's book.

From what I can gather, the main character is Pluk. Pluk has bright red hair. Pluk has a best friend called Dolly. Dolly is a dove. Are you following so far? 

See notes I compiled when creating this blog:

• Best friends w dove called dolly

Anyway Renato and myself both love this book simply because of Pluk! I mean just look at the cutie. From his locks, to his expression, to his stance, he is the perfect little Pluk. And I mean that in the most affectionate way. 

Rather than try and explain any further I've left you with some more illustrations of Pluk. Anyone have any real life Pluks? 

Day 64: if you want to see a whale by julie fogliano

Oh how I do though! This is a really cute book cover. If you've been reading my blog - perhaps reading might be a bit of a stretch. Let me rephrase, if you've seen my blog you may have noticed my obsession with children's books. Oh, I mean children's book covers. How is it that they capture my attention more than books that are written for adults? Surely that's a testament to my attention span and brain capacity. Who cares though. Any book that captures your attention is worth your time. You're a strong, black woman who don't need no man. And don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If you wanna see a whale, go and see that gaddamn whale. Ya'll hear me now?

Day 63: The Dark by Lemony Snicket

I want to reach through my computer screen and pull the boy away from the door and lock it forever. Too much? It's probably the garage or something right? Hmm if I know anything about Lemony Snicket, which I don't particularly, I know it's that nothing good is going to come from this. And although this book cover gives off an ominous scent that I can smell from a mile away, and like many horror movies, I can't help but want to know what happens. So I found out. Scroll down, if you dare.

"The voice of the dark was as creaky as the roof of the house, and as smooth and cold as the windows, and even though the dark was right next to Laszlo, the voice seemed very far away."

"What do you want?" asked Laszlo.

"I want to show you something," said the dark.

Now if that doesn't send shivers hurtling down your spine then I don't know what will. This is one of those rare covers that I see and immediately have to look inside. Mostly because it's a picture book, yes. My tendencies to think the worst of every situation really does not come in handy. 

Day 62: The Martian by Andy Weir

I'm a big fan of science fiction because of how inexplicable it is. So often we aim to understand how things work, how to do things better, the reason why. But for a moment we can forget about understanding and we can just marvel at the enigmatic, baffling, and bewildering world of the unknown. For this reason this book cover appeals to me in a big way! Of course I appreciate there's much more to science, and fiction, and science fiction than just a cool story. I don't even know what this story is even about. It may be about bar-tending in the 1930's. Because of this cover, I would still (try) read it. 

“I have never listened to anyone who criticized my taste in space travel, sideshows or gorillas. When this occurs, I pack up my dinosaurs and leave the room" - Ray Bradbury, Zen in the Art of Writing