num_pages: 144
description: The 20th century witnessed the rapid evolution of the book cover from a functional layer protecting the fragile paper inside, into a sophisticated visual tableau through which the author's message is interpreted and communicated. 'Front Cover' is the first book to bring together the jackets and covers that have made the greatest impact over the course of the century, from the pioneering designs of the Modernist movement to the digital collages of the internet age.Each chapter explores a different period - the modern designs of the 1920s and 1930s, the evolution of the contemporary book jacket in the post-war era, the explosion of the mass market and popular culture in the 1960s, and the incisive, stylish jackets created in recent years by design firms such as Pentagram. Jackets by major designers and illustrators including E. McKnight Kauffer, Eric Ravilious and Jeff Fisher are featured, alongside first editions of many of the century's most influential novels, including 'Brave New World', 'Catch 22', 'Nineteen Eighty-Four' and 'Bonfire of the Vanities'.Complete with topics such as the Cold War novel, the author as jacket artist and the Bond novel, and with almost 300 jackets illustrated in colour, this is an essential compendium of the book jacket for anyone with a passion for books and a love of great design.
language: English
title: Front Cover: Great Book Jackets and Cover Design
titlecomplete: Front Cover: Great Book Jackets and Cover Design
genres: Books About Books, History, Reference, Design, Art Design, Nonfiction, Art
ratings_count: 98
publisher: Miller/Mitchell Beazley