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Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover
From Drop Caps to Deluxes, Penguin Creative Director Paul Buckley presents a visual overview of the innovative covers that have put Penguin Classics at the forefront of the book design world
In Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover, Paul Buckley showcases more than ten years of stunning cover designs from Penguin Classics. This curated tour begins with the now-iconic redesign of the signature Penguin Classics black-spine series in 2003 and moves through award-winning series like the Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe Editions, Penguin Drop Caps, and Penguin Horror. Exhibiting a mesmerizing array of front covers and full cover layouts, Paul Buckley illuminates the unique and inventive approaches to typography, image, and design that grace Penguin’s covers of the best works in literature. Throughout the book, the artists and designers including Chris Ware, Ivan Brunetti, Jillian Tamaki, Jessica Hische, and Ruben Toledo who have collaborated with Penguin Classics offer commentary on the design process. For lovers of classic literature, book design, and all things Penguin, Classic Penguin has you covered.
In Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover, Paul Buckley showcases more than ten years of stunning cover designs from Penguin Classics. This curated tour begins with the now-iconic redesign of the signature Penguin Classics black-spine series in 2003 and moves through award-winning series like the Penguin Classics Graphic Deluxe Editions, Penguin Drop Caps, and Penguin Horror. Exhibiting a mesmerizing array of front covers and full cover layouts, Paul Buckley illuminates the unique and inventive approaches to typography, image, and design that grace Penguin’s covers of the best works in literature. Throughout the book, the artists and designers including Chris Ware, Ivan Brunetti, Jillian Tamaki, Jessica Hische, and Ruben Toledo who have collaborated with Penguin Classics offer commentary on the design process. For lovers of classic literature, book design, and all things Penguin, Classic Penguin has you covered.
287 pages, Paperback
First published July 26, 2016
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
October 18, 2016
Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover celebrates Penguin's 70th anniversary with an expansive collection of brilliant cover designs, replete with behind the scenes tales of how the covers came to be and a peek at some covers that never made the cut.
Booklovers will easily identify with the fundamentals of this book: A book cover demands our initial engagement with a work. You may not think a cover reflects your own thoughts of a book, but it evokes a response and inspires a reader's imagination to begin building the world within the pages created by the author.
What makes the covers showcased in Cover to Cover unique is that the books are classics, so well-known that illustrators were given the freedom to break the conventional rules of cover art design. The result is an array of covers that are bold and unrestrained, simple yet dramatic, or coy but colorful.
Ranking tops among favorites is this unassuming cover art for The Scarlet Letter. It's appropriate and sensible at first glance, stunning in its simplicity, but a closer look reveals a surprising depth of relevance and meaning.
Overall, Cover to Cover is brimming with personality, not just because of the multi-varied illustrations, but because of the written commentary from editors, creative directors, writers, and illustrators. Not everyone worked well together but, at the end of the day, all parties involved collaborated to create some gorgeous works of art.
As far as written commentary goes, a particular favorite comes from illustrator Riccardo Vecchio and his description of creating a moody watercolor painting for a collection of plays:
Roher Calligraphy ink, green, lemon yellow ink, lavender, magenta, and pink. It smells musky. Wet brush strokes dissolve non-waterproof ink, bleeding outwards. Liquefied pigment spreads like thunderous clouds in water drops held together by surface tension.
Penguin Classics: Cover to Cover is a stunning collection that will appeal to artists, designers, bookworms, and bibliophiles who favor classic literary works.
Booklovers will easily identify with the fundamentals of this book: A book cover demands our initial engagement with a work. You may not think a cover reflects your own thoughts of a book, but it evokes a response and inspires a reader's imagination to begin building the world within the pages created by the author.
What makes the covers showcased in Cover to Cover unique is that the books are classics, so well-known that illustrators were given the freedom to break the conventional rules of cover art design. The result is an array of covers that are bold and unrestrained, simple yet dramatic, or coy but colorful.
Ranking tops among favorites is this unassuming cover art for The Scarlet Letter. It's appropriate and sensible at first glance, stunning in its simplicity, but a closer look reveals a surprising depth of relevance and meaning.
Overall, Cover to Cover is brimming with personality, not just because of the multi-varied illustrations, but because of the written commentary from editors, creative directors, writers, and illustrators. Not everyone worked well together but, at the end of the day, all parties involved collaborated to create some gorgeous works of art.
As far as written commentary goes, a particular favorite comes from illustrator Riccardo Vecchio and his description of creating a moody watercolor painting for a collection of plays:
Roher Calligraphy ink, green, lemon yellow ink, lavender, magenta, and pink. It smells musky. Wet brush strokes dissolve non-waterproof ink, bleeding outwards. Liquefied pigment spreads like thunderous clouds in water drops held together by surface tension.
Penguin Classics: Cover to Cover is a stunning collection that will appeal to artists, designers, bookworms, and bibliophiles who favor classic literary works.
October 26, 2016
I received Cover to Cover in the mail last Thursday, and that evening I decided to look it over while watching an episode of The Simpsons. Usually when I attempt this, The Simpsons wins out and the book gets neglected. Not so in this case—I immediately became absorbed in Cover to Cover and couldn’t wait until I had a little more time to give it the full attention it deserved. That moment arrived over the weekend, when I inhaled the whole thing in basically a day.
This beautifully put-together book showcases several different Penguin Classics series as well as many individual books. The covers are displayed, as well as preliminary sketches, rejected covers, and images that served as inspiration. These are accompanied by accounts of the covers’ creation by the illustrators, designers, and other relevant parties. Surprisingly, not all of these accounts were entirely positive—a few illustrators and designers had a tough time with their particular project and were not afraid to say so—but this just showed how passionate and committed to excellence both the Penguin Classics team and the illustrators are. As someone who doesn’t see herself as particularly visually oriented, I found learning about the creative process of designing a cover to be really fascinating and instructive. I liked the approach of trying to give a modern spin to the classics via cover design; it made it clear how relevant and vital most of these books remain to this day—indeed, it’s one of the things that makes them classics.
I have to mention (I mean I literally have to; it’s the law) that I received this book as a free review copy from the publisher. However, anyone who’s at all familiar with my reviews knows that I have no problem giving a negative review to a book I got for free. In fact, reading Cover to Cover made me think about what causes me to give a book a negative review: besides just straight-up bad writing, it’s a sense of smallness: a lack of vision, a passive acceptance of the way things are, a stereotypical view of people and emotions. Ideally, I read to be inspired in one way or another, to see things in a different light. I want a sense of expansiveness, a sense that people are thinking outside the box. This book, with its beautiful images, respect and excitement for literature, and abundant creativity, accomplished that for me.
If you’re a lover of actual physical books, you will love this (warning: it will make you insanely acquisitive). If you’re an artist or designer, there will be a lot here to capture your imagination. Basically, if this topic interests you in any way, you should get on it. Cover to Cover will be everything you hoped for and more.
This beautifully put-together book showcases several different Penguin Classics series as well as many individual books. The covers are displayed, as well as preliminary sketches, rejected covers, and images that served as inspiration. These are accompanied by accounts of the covers’ creation by the illustrators, designers, and other relevant parties. Surprisingly, not all of these accounts were entirely positive—a few illustrators and designers had a tough time with their particular project and were not afraid to say so—but this just showed how passionate and committed to excellence both the Penguin Classics team and the illustrators are. As someone who doesn’t see herself as particularly visually oriented, I found learning about the creative process of designing a cover to be really fascinating and instructive. I liked the approach of trying to give a modern spin to the classics via cover design; it made it clear how relevant and vital most of these books remain to this day—indeed, it’s one of the things that makes them classics.
I have to mention (I mean I literally have to; it’s the law) that I received this book as a free review copy from the publisher. However, anyone who’s at all familiar with my reviews knows that I have no problem giving a negative review to a book I got for free. In fact, reading Cover to Cover made me think about what causes me to give a book a negative review: besides just straight-up bad writing, it’s a sense of smallness: a lack of vision, a passive acceptance of the way things are, a stereotypical view of people and emotions. Ideally, I read to be inspired in one way or another, to see things in a different light. I want a sense of expansiveness, a sense that people are thinking outside the box. This book, with its beautiful images, respect and excitement for literature, and abundant creativity, accomplished that for me.
If you’re a lover of actual physical books, you will love this (warning: it will make you insanely acquisitive). If you’re an artist or designer, there will be a lot here to capture your imagination. Basically, if this topic interests you in any way, you should get on it. Cover to Cover will be everything you hoped for and more.
April 22, 2017
I knew I was going to enjoy this book as I am a lover of book cover design and an entire book dedicated to just that is perfect eye-candy for me.
I learnt so much from this book about the many ways Penguin has to sell you the same book ;). For example you can have James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man as a deluxe classic edition with french flaps and thee most beautiful cover designed by Roman Muradov or if you are a drop caps series collector you can own it as a bright pea green hardcover.
Penguin has done a great job of making this book visually stunning (apart from the odd decision to make me feel like the top 2mm had been chopped off every page in the book ). The artwork chosen is impeccable and combined with the sometimes fractious and humorous asides by illustrators and creative director Paul Buckley it gives you a great insight into the book cover design process.
I appreciated it when designs were included that didn't make the cut, it gives you a feeling for how much thought goes into marrying a design (and designer) to the text as well as trying to find something fresh and visually surprising. The process of making a cover involves more creative decisions by multiple people than I had ever appreciated - illustrator, creative director, editor and sometimes the estate of an author. Its not surprising that peoples egos do get bruised in the process.
I enjoyed little anecdotes like these,
My original idea was paint pouring out of a sliced canvas. I went through the process stabbing canvases, dripping paint all over the place, photographing drips - a big production, but the photos felt sterile. Minutes before the cover meeting I combined my paint photos with the woman's face and it clicked
Its always good to learn people having success doing their homework at the very last minute and stabbing canvases seems like it could be therapeutic ;)
Anyway, now more than ever I will stop and appreciate all the work that has gone into the covers of books I am reading.
I learnt so much from this book about the many ways Penguin has to sell you the same book ;). For example you can have James Joyce's A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man as a deluxe classic edition with french flaps and thee most beautiful cover designed by Roman Muradov or if you are a drop caps series collector you can own it as a bright pea green hardcover.
Penguin has done a great job of making this book visually stunning (apart from the odd decision to make me feel like the top 2mm had been chopped off every page in the book ). The artwork chosen is impeccable and combined with the sometimes fractious and humorous asides by illustrators and creative director Paul Buckley it gives you a great insight into the book cover design process.
I appreciated it when designs were included that didn't make the cut, it gives you a feeling for how much thought goes into marrying a design (and designer) to the text as well as trying to find something fresh and visually surprising. The process of making a cover involves more creative decisions by multiple people than I had ever appreciated - illustrator, creative director, editor and sometimes the estate of an author. Its not surprising that peoples egos do get bruised in the process.
I enjoyed little anecdotes like these,
My original idea was paint pouring out of a sliced canvas. I went through the process stabbing canvases, dripping paint all over the place, photographing drips - a big production, but the photos felt sterile. Minutes before the cover meeting I combined my paint photos with the woman's face and it clicked
Its always good to learn people having success doing their homework at the very last minute and stabbing canvases seems like it could be therapeutic ;)
Anyway, now more than ever I will stop and appreciate all the work that has gone into the covers of books I am reading.
July 23, 2016
If Cover to Cover were nothing but reproductions of Classic Penguin covers over the years, it would be a book I'd want to spend a few hours with. But as it turns out, and even better, Cover to Cover tells the stories of dozens of the Classic Penguin covers from the past decade. We get to hear from the artists, designers, the editors, sometimes the authors, about what went into coming up with a classic cover. This post mortem treatment allows us to see how much decision making, arguing, creativity, and sometimes sheer luck, goes into a great cover.
Some of the current classics used previous covers as inspiration, sometimes the artist uses an idea already in his or her mind, other times it might be the result of reading the book (or books in the case of a series) carefully for a breakthrough idea. It's really a fascinating process and more of a group project rather than a single genius at work.
This is the most interesting book on the topic of book cover art that I've read since Phyllis Rose's The Shelf: From LEQ to LES: Adventures in Extreme Reading, in which she has a revealing conversation with a book cover artist about the process of coming up with the perfect design.
(Thanks to Penguin Books for a review copy.)
Some of the current classics used previous covers as inspiration, sometimes the artist uses an idea already in his or her mind, other times it might be the result of reading the book (or books in the case of a series) carefully for a breakthrough idea. It's really a fascinating process and more of a group project rather than a single genius at work.
This is the most interesting book on the topic of book cover art that I've read since Phyllis Rose's The Shelf: From LEQ to LES: Adventures in Extreme Reading, in which she has a revealing conversation with a book cover artist about the process of coming up with the perfect design.
(Thanks to Penguin Books for a review copy.)
January 22, 2022
I asked for this book for Christmas and could not have been more delighted when I opened it. One of the dangers of asking for a book sight unseen is that you receive it and then it doesn’t live up to whatever expectation you have in your head. Just lived up to every expectation and then surpassed every single one as well.
The thrust of the book is quite simple: Penguin Books has done a lot of interesting cover design over the years. Collections like the horror line, Shakespeare, Christmas Classics, and more, present books both classic and new with updated and refreshed cover art, buy some of the most unexpected an interesting designers in illustrators around the world. This book seeks to capture the breadth of those designs, and whether or not they were successful.
By and large, they are. In addition to just presenting pictures of these fantastic designs, we get commentary by illustrator’s, writers, and heads of design and Penguin books. I loved watching the evolution of a design, and seeing how even famous and brilliant artists have dark nights of the soul.
I am fascinated by books, and I am fascinated by design. This book brought both of those things together in such a clean and well presented way that I can’t fault it for anything. I got so many ideas in my head from looking at all of these illustrations, and now I want to do more art than ever before. Thanks, book!
The thrust of the book is quite simple: Penguin Books has done a lot of interesting cover design over the years. Collections like the horror line, Shakespeare, Christmas Classics, and more, present books both classic and new with updated and refreshed cover art, buy some of the most unexpected an interesting designers in illustrators around the world. This book seeks to capture the breadth of those designs, and whether or not they were successful.
By and large, they are. In addition to just presenting pictures of these fantastic designs, we get commentary by illustrator’s, writers, and heads of design and Penguin books. I loved watching the evolution of a design, and seeing how even famous and brilliant artists have dark nights of the soul.
I am fascinated by books, and I am fascinated by design. This book brought both of those things together in such a clean and well presented way that I can’t fault it for anything. I got so many ideas in my head from looking at all of these illustrations, and now I want to do more art than ever before. Thanks, book!
February 14, 2017
I love Penguin's covers. I didn't know I could love them more. Then Penguin published a book about their awesome covers.
I'm in love.
Can I please have more? Please? Perhaps Volume 2 could cover Great Ideas, Great Journeys and Great Loves, just a suggestion.
I'm in love.
Can I please have more? Please? Perhaps Volume 2 could cover Great Ideas, Great Journeys and Great Loves, just a suggestion.
January 4, 2018
Man, this was SO GOOD. I'm a complete book cover snob, and I've always been in awe of what Penguin does with theirs- they're always willing to do something really innovative, creative, and sometimes even risky. Reading about the process behind their most popular classics covers (some of which I have on my own shelf, and have spent many hours admiring) was inspiring, and honestly quite moving- it sounds silly, but I got a little misty-eyed on several different occasions because I was so incredibly in awe of the passion and intellect these people have when approaching their work.
Again, part of what I find so amazing about Penguin when it comes to their covers is how willing they are to take risks and do something totally unorthodox. Showcasing embroidery on a book cover is already super creative, but to show the chaotic back side of the fabric? Genius!.......if not a little strange, but again, that's the beauty of it. The Greek Myths cover was also amazing- just so completely unorthodox and unexpected, yet so so perfect- and the Kama Sutra cover was stunning, exquisite, and DEFINITELY a bold, risky move. What I also found amazing was the incredible thought that went behind some of their most minimalist covers. The Penguin Drop Caps series may seem like simple ornamental lettering at first, but the longer you look at them the more symbolism you can find hidden in each letter. A moment that actually got an audible gasp from me was when I was reading about the creative process behind the Black Spines edition of The Scarlet Letter. It seems like a very tasteful,simple cover- a black background with white calligraphy letters, the bright red A standing out from the rest- but upon closer inspection, the negative space in the A forms the silhouette of two figures. My mind was totally blown!
I don't think I've ever written a review this long! Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, if you like book covers, or art, or typography, or design, or just really pretty things, you really should be reading this book. You'll gain a whole new appreciation for the work that goes into creating a beautiful book cover.
Again, part of what I find so amazing about Penguin when it comes to their covers is how willing they are to take risks and do something totally unorthodox. Showcasing embroidery on a book cover is already super creative, but to show the chaotic back side of the fabric? Genius!.......if not a little strange, but again, that's the beauty of it. The Greek Myths cover was also amazing- just so completely unorthodox and unexpected, yet so so perfect- and the Kama Sutra cover was stunning, exquisite, and DEFINITELY a bold, risky move. What I also found amazing was the incredible thought that went behind some of their most minimalist covers. The Penguin Drop Caps series may seem like simple ornamental lettering at first, but the longer you look at them the more symbolism you can find hidden in each letter. A moment that actually got an audible gasp from me was when I was reading about the creative process behind the Black Spines edition of The Scarlet Letter. It seems like a very tasteful,simple cover- a black background with white calligraphy letters, the bright red A standing out from the rest- but upon closer inspection, the negative space in the A forms the silhouette of two figures. My mind was totally blown!
I don't think I've ever written a review this long! Anyway, what I'm trying to say is, if you like book covers, or art, or typography, or design, or just really pretty things, you really should be reading this book. You'll gain a whole new appreciation for the work that goes into creating a beautiful book cover.
August 9, 2016
It's so pretty!!!! I want all the Penguins!!
(But they didn't talk about the Coralie Bickford-Smith designs?)
(But they didn't talk about the Coralie Bickford-Smith designs?)
Read
April 2, 2021The title is misleading, as Classic Penguin is not present. Whether its the marbel series or anything related to history of Penguin designs prior to creative director Paul Buckley (a guiding force for over two decades), do not appear. This is a shame, as there is little context to place the beautiful designs present in. This is a coffee table book focused on covers that featured art commissioned by the publisher (including pieces by Mike Mignola, Zohar Lazar and C.C. Askew). They are stunning, but also dictate space - with a substantial portion going to the titles of their deluxe edition series. My personal preference is for the black spine series that make use of classical paintings -so an editor explaining the choice of Rembrandt's The Man with the Gold Helmet for Wallenstein is where my interests lie. Those are absent. We have short blurbs from designers and artists that are thoughtful and insightful, but all too brief. I am happy this exists, it just feels like a missed opportunity.
June 3, 2017
This was a really Nice book to Flip through
The only thing I missed was a little summary of each book that was mentioned.
The only thing I missed was a little summary of each book that was mentioned.
July 24, 2016
I'm a sucker for a pretty book cover, and I've always been a fan of the gorgeous Penguin covers. (They're the reason why I own multiple copies of certain books...I just couldn't pick a favorite edition!) So of course I jumped at the chance to read this book. It didn't disappoint! Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover is visually stunning and full of gorgeous book covers. I liked how the books were grouped by collection, and there were a few featured collections I didn't even know about. Some of my favorite covers were here, but I also found so many that I'd never seen before. (I'm actually going to have to go through this again and make a list of all the editions I'd like to own.) It was very interesting to read what the illustrators and designers had to say about certain covers, and to see the progression of their first ideas and sketches to the final design.
My only complaint is that I wanted more! There were a few of my favorite covers that I would have like to seen featured (the deluxe edition of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle comes to mind). And it would have been neat to see the clothbound hardcovers and the Penguin English Library editions included, too. But obviously they can't cover everything! Also, at times the captions were difficult to read, as they're very tiny, and in a few cases it took me a moment to figure out which cover was the final one.
Anyway, I loved this book. The whole concept of it is tailor-made for readers who are obsessed with pretty covers and interested in book design. And the presentation is beautiful and so appealing.
*Note: Penguin sent me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.*
My only complaint is that I wanted more! There were a few of my favorite covers that I would have like to seen featured (the deluxe edition of Shirley Jackson's We Have Always Lived in the Castle comes to mind). And it would have been neat to see the clothbound hardcovers and the Penguin English Library editions included, too. But obviously they can't cover everything! Also, at times the captions were difficult to read, as they're very tiny, and in a few cases it took me a moment to figure out which cover was the final one.
Anyway, I loved this book. The whole concept of it is tailor-made for readers who are obsessed with pretty covers and interested in book design. And the presentation is beautiful and so appealing.
*Note: Penguin sent me this book for free in exchange for an honest review.*
January 5, 2020
What a fun book for book lovers! I randomly found this at the library and devoured each page. The designers at Penguin Classics have done an incredible job bringing classics into the 21st century with innovative covers and artwork. This book goes through each cover design, with interviews with the artists, alternate cover art, and descriptions of the process that goes into each book. If you love beautiful books, you'll really enjoy this behind-the-scenes look at it all.
December 25, 2017
I loved this book! The book tells of all the work and thought that goes into the cover designs of all the classic literature books put out by Penquin. It is also filled with gorgeous artwork and illustrations of some of the covers of the classics. This is a book to read and cherish forever. I received this book as a Goodreads first reads giveaway, in exchange for my honest review.
November 9, 2019
Unfortunately, this was just another one of those pretty coffee-table type books for me (you know, the ones that are just too pretty so you flip through and don't read the text?). Didn't appreciate the fact that there wasn't even a line about the books being displayed (I know, I know, but still) and to be honest I didn't find any of what was being said interesting.
September 5, 2022
Mlle Alice, pouvez-vous nous raconter votre rencontre avec Classic Penguin - Cover to Cover ?
"Victime de mon obsession des livres qui parlent de livres, je n'ai pas pu résister à celui-ci et à sa couverture détonnante. Penguin est, de plus, une maison d'édition que j'aime beaucoup et qui propose souvent de très belles collections. C'était donc l'occasion rêvée d'en apprendre un peu plus sur tout ça."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Ce livre donne la parole aux différents artistes qui ont été sollicités au fil des ans pour proposer des couvertures aux éditions Penguin..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Si vous vous intéressez un peu aux couvertures des livres et aux processus de création qui peuvent se cacher derrière, vous trouverez cet ouvrage passionnant. Il remplit toutes ses promesses, nous éblouit de designs tous plus beaux les uns que les autres et n'omet rien du cheminement qui a mené au résultat. Certains éditeurs français seraient d'ailleurs bien avisés de lire l'introduction qui explique à quel point la couverture d'un livre est importante a bien des niveaux.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié de découvrir, outre la version finale, des idées différentes, des dessins préparatoires, parfois même des couvertures qui n'avaient pas été retenues, même si cela pouvait aussi être frustrant lorsque celles-ci me plaisaient plus que le résultat final. J'ai été amusée aussi de l'honnêteté et de la transparence de Paul Buckley et de certains artistes pour lesquels la collaboration n'a pas toujours été des plus agréables (j'ai même ri quand l'un d'entre eux en profite pour redire qu'il pense toujours que son choix aurait été meilleur). Bref, c'est un vrai coup d'oeil dans les coulisses du livre."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Je suis ravie de ma lecture, et d'avoir ce si bel ouvrage dans ma collection. Et évidemment, j'ai ajouté quelques nouveaux titres à ma liste d'envie."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
"Victime de mon obsession des livres qui parlent de livres, je n'ai pas pu résister à celui-ci et à sa couverture détonnante. Penguin est, de plus, une maison d'édition que j'aime beaucoup et qui propose souvent de très belles collections. C'était donc l'occasion rêvée d'en apprendre un peu plus sur tout ça."
Dites-nous en un peu plus sur son histoire...
"Ce livre donne la parole aux différents artistes qui ont été sollicités au fil des ans pour proposer des couvertures aux éditions Penguin..."
Mais que s'est-il exactement passé entre vous ?
"Si vous vous intéressez un peu aux couvertures des livres et aux processus de création qui peuvent se cacher derrière, vous trouverez cet ouvrage passionnant. Il remplit toutes ses promesses, nous éblouit de designs tous plus beaux les uns que les autres et n'omet rien du cheminement qui a mené au résultat. Certains éditeurs français seraient d'ailleurs bien avisés de lire l'introduction qui explique à quel point la couverture d'un livre est importante a bien des niveaux.
J'ai particulièrement apprécié de découvrir, outre la version finale, des idées différentes, des dessins préparatoires, parfois même des couvertures qui n'avaient pas été retenues, même si cela pouvait aussi être frustrant lorsque celles-ci me plaisaient plus que le résultat final. J'ai été amusée aussi de l'honnêteté et de la transparence de Paul Buckley et de certains artistes pour lesquels la collaboration n'a pas toujours été des plus agréables (j'ai même ri quand l'un d'entre eux en profite pour redire qu'il pense toujours que son choix aurait été meilleur). Bref, c'est un vrai coup d'oeil dans les coulisses du livre."
Et comment cela s'est-il fini ?
"Je suis ravie de ma lecture, et d'avoir ce si bel ouvrage dans ma collection. Et évidemment, j'ai ajouté quelques nouveaux titres à ma liste d'envie."
http://booksaremywonderland.hautetfor...
December 30, 2024
This is any book lovers' dream.
In addition to covering examples in the black spine series, this book also covers: the orange collection, the sci-fi galaxy collection, the deluxe classics collection, the drop caps collection (I think the sprayed edges cheapen the books), the civic classics, penguin horror, Christmas classics, Penguin threads, Miller classics (yawn), Penguin plays, Penguin hardcovers, Penguin Shakespeare.
Penguin's North American art director as well as illustrators for different campaigns explain how different covers came to be. One of my favorite covers contained in the book was of Portrait of an Artist of a Young Man by artist Roman Murdov. His artwork reminds me of Disney artist Mary Blair. Another favorite cover was the cover of The Master and the Margarita by artist C.C. Askew as part of the now defunct Penguin Ink series, cancelled because of the temperamental tattoo artists' behavior. I would love to explore all of this series.
Although I'm not much of a sci-fi fan, the typography is total perfection for the books in the Penguin sci-fi galaxy collection. And the woodblock-like covers of the Penguin horror collection makes it completely memorable.
This book is a visual feast for any book lover.
In addition to covering examples in the black spine series, this book also covers: the orange collection, the sci-fi galaxy collection, the deluxe classics collection, the drop caps collection (I think the sprayed edges cheapen the books), the civic classics, penguin horror, Christmas classics, Penguin threads, Miller classics (yawn), Penguin plays, Penguin hardcovers, Penguin Shakespeare.
Penguin's North American art director as well as illustrators for different campaigns explain how different covers came to be. One of my favorite covers contained in the book was of Portrait of an Artist of a Young Man by artist Roman Murdov. His artwork reminds me of Disney artist Mary Blair. Another favorite cover was the cover of The Master and the Margarita by artist C.C. Askew as part of the now defunct Penguin Ink series, cancelled because of the temperamental tattoo artists' behavior. I would love to explore all of this series.
Although I'm not much of a sci-fi fan, the typography is total perfection for the books in the Penguin sci-fi galaxy collection. And the woodblock-like covers of the Penguin horror collection makes it completely memorable.
This book is a visual feast for any book lover.
March 22, 2020
Wonderful wonderful collection! I had a wow moment every few pages from the gorgeous creativity of some of the book cover designs. Even the designs I wasn't a huge fan of I could still see how well they meshed with the tone or mood of the book or author. Lots more serendipity involved in the graphic design creativity process than I would have realized after reading the illustrator and designer snippets. Must mitigate desire to buy all the fancy looking books. Might fail.
November 9, 2017
Was für ein wunderschönes Buch. Man möchte seine gesamte Bibliothek abgeben und alles noch einmal von vorne kaufen. :-)
May 19, 2019
I find this hectic as an ebook and have ordered the print copy. Will re-read.
Beautiful book.
Beautiful book.
November 22, 2025
What a wonderful trip through Penguin and it's various series and covers. Quite fascinating to see the artwork and hear from the artists themselves about the books they illustrated covers for.
February 21, 2019
The eye-candy book to end all eye-candy books. It was so marvellous seeing all the styles, artists and their methods/intentions of work.
(Also, the Penguin Threads section? Mind blown.)
(Also, the Penguin Threads section? Mind blown.)
August 2, 2016
4,5 stars
This book is all about covers that were designed for several Penguin Classics collections. It's filled with words from the designers, art directors and illustrators who have done a great job on these beauties. The book has some early sketches (in rare cases) and also gives the word to the designers and illustrators to talk about their process and how they got to the final image of the cover.
Reading this book, you can feel the excitement that the people in this book have for these covers and it made me all the more excited about book cover design, and buying all of the pretty editions (because come on! These designers/illustrators have done a remarkable job most of the time! I wish I was that good!). Especially the introductions (read them!!!).
The design of the book, as well on the outside as the inside has been very well done and I really enjoyed it. I loved the titles on the very top of the pages, taking tiny bits of the type away, and the full spreads for the chapter titles were also very enjoyable. And I shouldn't forget the "inside covers" which are filled with all kinds of Penguin objects which go from clay figures to plush penguins with party hats on their beaks to blow up penguins. It's silly and I thought it was a really nice touch to the book.
This book is not only about the successes that art directors and illustrators had w/each other. I liked that in the case of "Alice in Wonderland & Through the looking-glass" the book states how difficult it was for the art director and artist to achieve what they wanted, especially when it comes to them agreeing about it. It gives insight into what designers and art directors go through sometimes and makes it feel like a very honest book.
Even though I'm kind of raving about the book, there were things that could've been done better. I'd like the book better if we'd get a more in depth view of the design process. Half a page of text (mostly less) per design or per series is not enough for me. There also weren't a lot of sketches in the book which was something I would've liked to see. Especially being a designer; I want to know why certain design elements were done in certain ways and the thought process that went into designing the covers. Initial sketches and different versions are a great way to show this. I would've gladly read about (and seen) less covers if I got more info about a smaller amount of covers than is in this book.
All in all this is a great book for all people who love design and books, or just cover design. It's a book that will look good on your coffee table (especially if you have friends who love reading, too). And it's a great book to get inspiration from, and of course a great read! I really loved this book and will definitely flip through it again after reading it the first time.
Favorite design: A portrait of the young artist as a man by James Joyce (Deluxe Classics). I actually read the book and couldn't finish it, but I'm thinking of buying a copy just for the cover...
Least favorite design: Definitely all of the Christmas Classics covers. I liked the versions done by Paul Buckley way more! The current ones are just... meh... I would definitely not buy those for the covers.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
This book is all about covers that were designed for several Penguin Classics collections. It's filled with words from the designers, art directors and illustrators who have done a great job on these beauties. The book has some early sketches (in rare cases) and also gives the word to the designers and illustrators to talk about their process and how they got to the final image of the cover.
Reading this book, you can feel the excitement that the people in this book have for these covers and it made me all the more excited about book cover design, and buying all of the pretty editions (because come on! These designers/illustrators have done a remarkable job most of the time! I wish I was that good!). Especially the introductions (read them!!!).
The design of the book, as well on the outside as the inside has been very well done and I really enjoyed it. I loved the titles on the very top of the pages, taking tiny bits of the type away, and the full spreads for the chapter titles were also very enjoyable. And I shouldn't forget the "inside covers" which are filled with all kinds of Penguin objects which go from clay figures to plush penguins with party hats on their beaks to blow up penguins. It's silly and I thought it was a really nice touch to the book.
This book is not only about the successes that art directors and illustrators had w/each other. I liked that in the case of "Alice in Wonderland & Through the looking-glass" the book states how difficult it was for the art director and artist to achieve what they wanted, especially when it comes to them agreeing about it. It gives insight into what designers and art directors go through sometimes and makes it feel like a very honest book.
Even though I'm kind of raving about the book, there were things that could've been done better. I'd like the book better if we'd get a more in depth view of the design process. Half a page of text (mostly less) per design or per series is not enough for me. There also weren't a lot of sketches in the book which was something I would've liked to see. Especially being a designer; I want to know why certain design elements were done in certain ways and the thought process that went into designing the covers. Initial sketches and different versions are a great way to show this. I would've gladly read about (and seen) less covers if I got more info about a smaller amount of covers than is in this book.
All in all this is a great book for all people who love design and books, or just cover design. It's a book that will look good on your coffee table (especially if you have friends who love reading, too). And it's a great book to get inspiration from, and of course a great read! I really loved this book and will definitely flip through it again after reading it the first time.
Favorite design: A portrait of the young artist as a man by James Joyce (Deluxe Classics). I actually read the book and couldn't finish it, but I'm thinking of buying a copy just for the cover...
Least favorite design: Definitely all of the Christmas Classics covers. I liked the versions done by Paul Buckley way more! The current ones are just... meh... I would definitely not buy those for the covers.
Disclaimer: I received this book from Penguin Random House in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2017
Interesting account of how illustrators at Penguin Publishing come up with their covers. This book certainly had me looking for these beautiful editions!
September 15, 2016
Final Review for "Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover" by Paul Buckley (**** 4 Stars)
Ohmygosh. If you are a reader/book-sniffer/cover-fondler type OR you love typography, art, art/book history OR you are one of the many who collect Penguin Classics, this book will put you in seventh heaven. It is a collection of the covers of Penguin Classics books dating from 1946 including the backstory and history of how these iconic and award-winning book covers were created. The Penguin Classics designers are people singularly talented and devoted to eye-popping designs that work perfectly with the titles and reader expectations of Classic books.
This volume itself is beautifully bound with delicious paper. It's a perfect 'coffee table' book and an exquisite gifting book. After reading it, I found a place for my copy near the chair where I often sip a cup of tea so I can leaf through repeatedly during relaxing breaks. This book is a work of art about works of art.
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*** 5 Stars = An enduring classic to be read by all; 4 Stars = I LOVE IT! You gotta read it!; 3 Stars = A great book for a specific interest/type of reader/very casual read; 1 or 2 Stars = no comment***
Ohmygosh. If you are a reader/book-sniffer/cover-fondler type OR you love typography, art, art/book history OR you are one of the many who collect Penguin Classics, this book will put you in seventh heaven. It is a collection of the covers of Penguin Classics books dating from 1946 including the backstory and history of how these iconic and award-winning book covers were created. The Penguin Classics designers are people singularly talented and devoted to eye-popping designs that work perfectly with the titles and reader expectations of Classic books.
This volume itself is beautifully bound with delicious paper. It's a perfect 'coffee table' book and an exquisite gifting book. After reading it, I found a place for my copy near the chair where I often sip a cup of tea so I can leaf through repeatedly during relaxing breaks. This book is a work of art about works of art.
----------------------------------
*** 5 Stars = An enduring classic to be read by all; 4 Stars = I LOVE IT! You gotta read it!; 3 Stars = A great book for a specific interest/type of reader/very casual read; 1 or 2 Stars = no comment***
October 24, 2016
What a glorious book about books! What I particularly love is reading about the design process, and in particular seeing examples of covers which were not selected. Thanks Penguin - now I want to go out and buy every single one! [Or was that your evil plan all along? Mwah hah hah. Well played Random Penguin, well played.] Haven't finished it yet but it's already got five stars in my book. Next day: finished. Five stars-a-go-g0.
September 12, 2016
This book makes me happy. Not only is the printing high-quality, but a glimpse into the process is what excites me about a book that examines graphic problem solving. We are privy to the thought process behind some great works of art whose job, at the end of the day, is to sell you books you already know or have heard of; how can we give it to you in a new way? Tons of inspiration in here, too.
November 3, 2016
For anyone who loves to look at book covers and finds an appreciation for them, this is the book for you! You get to see the hard work Penguin puts in publishing their books shows.
April 5, 2020
Admittedly, this is more of a glossy coffee table book than a book I’d recommend for reading, but Classic Penguin: Cover to Cover was still a really interesting and unique read. For everyone who has ever judged a book by its cover, Classic Penguin is literally entirely about the covers of books published by Penguin, and the stories about how they came to be created. First and foremost, this is a gorgeous book to peek inside, because it’s lovely to see all the different styles of book design along with testimonials from their artists, but it’s also interesting from a non-fiction standpoint to learn about the creative process of publishing and book design. Also, I was genuinely not aware of how many different collections Penguin had published, and I’d be lying if I said this didn’t make me want to invest in all 26 of the Penguin Dropcaps series after seeing how vibrant they are here. The only thing that could have made this book better is if it was a bit longer, because I was finding it really interesting and I feel a bit like it ended just as I was getting into it. I’d love to have seen this book be double its size simply because I know with the amount of books Penguin have ever published, it would be possible to fill hundreds more pages with their iconic covers. I’d recommend this to anyone with a genuine interest in books, but also to anyone looking for a nice glossy coffee table book that’s genuinely interesting beyond just its pictures.
April 22, 2023
Siento debilidad por los libros que desgranan el arte del diseño de portadas y cubiertas y ya hace años que me percaté de que Penguin como editorial tiene algo especial que me atrae terriblemente (aunque no a todas sus colecciones).
Este libro ha sido puro disfrute de principio a fin. No sólo por la exquisita selección de clásicos y los numerosos artistas (me ha hecho especial ilusión reconocer algunos nombres del mundo del cómic como pueden ser Jillian Tamaki, Mignola o Roman Muradov), es que encima el texto que acompaña es una delicia cargada de humor, mala baba, desencuentros, procesos artísticos e inspiración. Los comentarios de las portadas y colecciones van desde los altos cargos de dirección de arte al ilustrador comisionado para la obra. Más de una vez me he carcajeado en voz alta, sorprendida por los piques entre las dos partes o las confidencias volcadas en el libro a modo de explicación de los distintos encargos.
Una lectura entretenida, cargada de arte y con mucho más cachondeo del que podía esperar.
Este libro ha sido puro disfrute de principio a fin. No sólo por la exquisita selección de clásicos y los numerosos artistas (me ha hecho especial ilusión reconocer algunos nombres del mundo del cómic como pueden ser Jillian Tamaki, Mignola o Roman Muradov), es que encima el texto que acompaña es una delicia cargada de humor, mala baba, desencuentros, procesos artísticos e inspiración. Los comentarios de las portadas y colecciones van desde los altos cargos de dirección de arte al ilustrador comisionado para la obra. Más de una vez me he carcajeado en voz alta, sorprendida por los piques entre las dos partes o las confidencias volcadas en el libro a modo de explicación de los distintos encargos.
Una lectura entretenida, cargada de arte y con mucho más cachondeo del que podía esperar.
June 21, 2017
It has been a long, long time since I've finished a book in less than two days, but I just couldn't help myself when it came to reading Buckley's Cover to Cover. It is such an interesting perspective on the art of book cover illustration and design, with high-quality photographs of cover art, commentary on the process from editors and illustrators that is both humorous and heartfelt, and detailed narratives about what it is like to be someone who works in the industry of graphic design. So whether you are a literary aficionado who shamelessly displays their collections for all of their equally sententious friends to see, a lowly book peasant who keeps their dog-eared paperbacks locked away with indignity and keeps this book as a way to feel a sliver of self-esteem, or just somebody who wants something cool-looking on their coffee table, this book is for you.
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