The Lost Art of a Good Book Cover

The English idiom, "don't judge a book by its cover," is a phrase often quoted to teach others to not judge based on physical appearance alone; whether for an actual book on a shelf or a person you meet on the sidewalk. 

However, I invite you to look at the books on your shelves and judge them. 

Go on... I will wait...

Do they all look the same with faceless characters in primary colors with smooth matte finish? A cookie-cutter appearance mass-produced by Canva with a title and author name slap on it, giving no indication what the story will be about with the absence of Easter eggs or hidden refereferences.

Well, I noticed that, too.

There is nothing inherently wrong with an unimaginative cover art that lacks creativity — but the art of a good book cover is being lost and muddled in favor of aesthetic. 

With people, like myself, shopping second-hand book stores and thrift shops and being welcome by pulp art book covers with beautiful illustrations that are indicative of the genre of the book you will be reading. Take, for instance, the penny and dime novels of the 50s to the 60s depicted beautiful women in a contemporary style prawled across the cover in fashionable attire. 

Now, I understand the why book covers are losing their art due to some being a bit risqué such as the half naked men on romance novels or the argument that women depicted on these covers are being objectified or simply because of issues of production and prices.

BUT —

There should be a middle ground because despite our best efforts, we still judge a book by its cover.

Book recommendations below ⤵

I have always enjoyed a good mystery since watching Scooby-Doo, Where Are You! and I have previously suggested Agatha Christie's mystery novels and "Murder, She Wrote", so I thought it would be best to introduce, "The Case of the Cautious Coquette: A Perry Mason story". Check out its beautiful cover art as well.