Saturday, October 28, 2006

"Can't tell a book...

… by its cover!”
Yes, I know!
I know that we cannot judge a book by its cover, but nonetheless, purely in the realm of the aesthetically pleasing, I must pass out some Bookpuddle blog-kudos to whoever it was that designed the cover of Richard Ford’s new book, The Lay of The Land.
This is going to sound so superficial of me, but this is the best book cover I have seen in a long time.
Just look at it.
Everything about the coloration is perfect.
The symmetry of the word versus image ratio. The fact that the title speaks of land, but the image shows only an expanse of water.
This is the best looking dustjacket I have seen in a long while.
I hate bad dustjackets.
Look at how good this one is.
Just the other day I stared at this book cover for quite a while, and, knowing nothing of the author, almost bought the thing, based on how good its cover is.
Has anyone out there read the thing, or anything by the author?

If I myself ever write a book, I want it to shamelessly blare its worthiness from the bookstore shelf like Richard Ford’s new one does.

P.S. An update, many hours later. I had another look at the book this afternoon and can now attach specifics to my previous random-kudos.
Dustjacket photography: Chris Jones.
Dustjacket design: Carol Devine Carson
**********

5 comments:

Cold Molasses said...

How is your book coming anyway?

Sharon said...

Serendipity! I brought home the new Ford book this week. I must confess, I have both The Sportswriter and Independence Day (the first two in the series of which Lay of the Land is the latest), but have yet to read them. I did see Richard Ford on BookTV earlier this year, and he struck me as being one of the most eloquent speakers I've heard. If he writes as well as he speaks, I will buy and read anything he writes. And I agree, the cover is gorgeous!

Cipriano said...

Yes, ex libris. Serendipity, indeed.
When I had a re-look at the book, I noticed that it is stated that it can stand on its own but is also part of a sort of series.... and whenever I see that [this is my nature.... the nature of my Beast], I want to know ALL!
ALL ALL ALL!
I want to read the whole series, you know?
Same thing happened with me recently, wanting to purchase Wayne Johnston's new book and then reading that it [yes, yes, can stand alone] but also is sort of a continuation of what was started in his Colony of Unrequited Dreams.
Can't stand it.
I've gotta know the whole story.
That's why, when I write my own novel, I will publish the sequel FIRST, so people buy it.
Hey wait.
That makes absolutley no sense!
But speaking of serendipity, after posting my blog on the book I got an email from my subscription to the New York Times Book Review section, and guess what book they were reviewing?
Yep.
This one, the one with the best cover of all time!
Thanks for tuning in to the Puddle, ex libris!

And cold molasses, obviously you are referring to the sequel of my first unpublished book?
Yes.... it will be on bookstore shelves sometime early in my next lifetime!

Bybee said...

Dang, that is a pretty cover. I'm a Richard Ford fan from waaay back, like about the time Rock Springs and Wildlife came out.

Anonymous said...

How funny - I was attracted to this cover, too! I can't tell you how many times I picked this book up in different stores just because. I did learn that it is part of a trilogy so I guess I will have to put this one on the back-burner.