Another month of books, another month of book covers. The books of August arrived with their usual lushness, though not always in the familiar forms. Here are a few favorites from the tail end of summer. What did I miss?
Devyn Defoe, Burnside; cover design by Frances diGiovanni at Rodrigo Corral Studio; cover art by Kate Awalt-Conley (Astra House, August 4)
Deranged, in the best possible way. I adore the way the text and image collide in uneven harmony.
Annie Lord, The Project; cover design by Robin Bilardello (Harper, August 4)
A cover you can truly feel.
Paul Yoon, Etna; cover design by Oliver Munday (Scribner, August 4)
So minimal—and yet the color palette carries the entire mood.
Matthew Futterman, The Cruelest Game: Chasing Greatness in Professional Tennis; cover design by Oliver Munday (Doubleday, August 4)
I adore the sly distance between the racket and its shadow.
Téa Obreht, Sunrise; cover design by Adriana Tonello at Rodrigo Corral Studio (Random House, August 11)
Another excellent color story (and it exudes that big-book energy, just right).
Claire Carusillo, The Responsible Party; cover design and illustration by Clay Smith (Henry Holt, August 11)
There’s something deeply appealing—and playfully retro—about the textures here.
Daljit Nagra, Yiewsley; cover design by Kishan Rajani (Faber & Faber, August 18)
A knockout.
Malavika Kannan, Unprecedented Times; cover design by Sara Pinsonault, artwork by Shyama Golden (Henry Holt, August 18)
The illustration is striking, but to me the real genius lies in the way the word “unprecedented” leans, giving the meaning away at a glance.
Dorthe Nors, tr. Caroline Waight, Range; cover design by Alban Fischer (Graywolf, August 18)
A gorgeous collage that reveals more layers than it first suggests.
Anjet Daanje, tr. David McKay, The Song of Stork and Dromedary; cover design by Emma Moore (FSG Originals, August 18)
Clever, tricky. And that bird seems to be trying to tell me something, I can feel it.
John Manuel Arias, Crocodilopolis; cover illustration by Rafael Nobre (Bloomsbury, August 25)
Another bold, gorgeous illustration.
