Book Covers: Thirteen Favorites from 2013

I adore book covers. A roundup of thirteen favorites that came into my life in 2013.

13. Writs of Passion by Steve Almond, cover illustration by Brian Stauffer. The collection came with directions for use.

#6 If so inclined, read.

12. Swann’s Way by Marcel Proust, design by Gabrielle Bordwin. I bought this book after celebrating its 100th Anniversary at an inspiring event with Catherine Millet and Edmund White. Admittedly, I haven’t made it past the cover.

100 years in print

11. Lolita by Vladimir Nabokov, cover creation by Jamie Keenan. I’m in love with everything about this cover design. It’s included in a compilation book dedicated to the visual history of the novel along with a preface by Mary Gaitskill. It’s almost overwhelming.

In Lolita: Story of a Cover Girl

10. Eleanor & Park by Rainbow Rowell, design by Anna Gorovoy. The fact that this YA novel is being banned is one of the reasons why I write.

A Banned Book

9. Corsica by Patrick Trunbull, cover photo courtesy of Eric Jelly, 1976. Melinda and I stumbled upon this book in the spectacular Seattle Public Library this Thanksgiving. To my delight, I found one copy on amazon.co.uk.

A found treasure

8. A Room of One’s Own by Virginia Woolf, cover art by Ray Fenwick, design by Michaela Sullivan. Yes. I read it for the first time this year.

An instant model

7. In One Person by John Irving, design by Nancy Singer. Actually, I’ve had this book since 2012, but I haven’t stopped staring at it for a year.

I can’t take my eyes off her.

6. American Savage by Dan Savage, design by Nancy Resnick. This cover combines my love for Dan Savage and America. Together, at last.

Dan has been going to the gym with Terry.

5. How to Write a Sentence and How to Read One by Stanley Fish, design by Emily Cavett Taff. An entire chapter is dedicated to “First Sentences.”

Chapter 8.

4. The Fran Lebowitz Reader by Fran Lebowitz, cover courtesy of HBO. Normally, I read around three books a week. I’m trying to make this one last for years.

Apologies for including you in the same post as #1.

3. Little Cody, by Anselm Reyle. Melinda damn near flew to Berlin for this piece of art.

146 of 333

2. The Yonahlossee Riding Camp for Girls by Anton DiSclafani, design by Amanda Dewey. This cover knocks me out. And reading it while luxuriating at the Westglow Resort & Spa in the Blue Ridge Mountains was sensational.

Smoking at sixteen was the best.

1. Fear of Flying by Erica Jong, illustration by Noma Bar, cover design by Paul Buckley. FTW, this 40th Anniversary edition is beyond, beyond. I mean, are you effing kidding me? Look at this cover!