Beautiful Book Covers 2

Another I came across in the cover module on the home page -

>1 Bookmarque:
I like that one.

>1 Bookmarque: Ooh, nice! A great start to the new thread.

>1 Bookmarque: That's gorgeous! I wonder if it's based on the intro to the BBC David Suchet Poirot series. It definitely brought that to my mind when I saw it.

Thanks peeps. Here's one that I found today -

>1 Bookmarque: >5 Bookmarque: Two good ones! Did you see there's a Death on the Nile moving coming soon?

>6 Karlstar: Is it actually coming soon this time? It's been pandemic delayed a couple times now, I think

>7 Julie_in_the_Library: The commercials say Feb 11! Might be too late to pull it now.

>8 Karlstar: Excellent!

I liked the Branagh version of Orient Express, but not as much as the David Suchet version, so I'll wait to stream this one on Amazon or Netflix or wherever we watched the first one. Recently watched the Suchet version of Death on the Nile and oh, it's great. Now I need to figure out a way to watch the 1978 version w/Ustinov as Poirot and an amazing cast including Bette Davis, Maggie Smith, David Niven, Mia Farrow and Angela Lansbury.

Another great Bond cover. Many of the recent versions have great art -

>10 Bookmarque:
Great cover.

I also prefer the Suchet version of Orient Express. There was too much CGI in the Branagh one for me.

I love the Ustinov Poirot films. They would have been my first introduction to Poirot and I love Peter Ustinov.

Maggie Smith is great. I loved her performance in Murder Under the Sun with Ustinov and Diana Rigg. The interplay (=bitchiness) between Smith and Rigg's characters was brilliant.

Last year I picked up a DVD boxed set of the entire Poirot TV series which we've been watching ever since at the rate of about 1 episode per week. We're in the last season or two and I have to say that I miss Hastings, Miss Lemon and Chief Inspector Japp. Poirot is still Poirot, but the little interactions and asides between the three of them was a nice touch.

>10 Bookmarque: >11 pgmcc: The Suchet versions are all better, I agree. But I just finished watching them all within the last month or so - too soon for a rewatch. And it's always nice to see new versions, and new interest, in stuff like this.

I'll be waiting for streaming, too - theaters are still a risk I'm not willing to take, pandemic-wise.

>12 Bookmarque: If I could ration like you, I wouldn't be done yet. I just binged it, one or two a night, more on weekends, and only what's available with BritBox, so minus a season or two. I think you'll really enjoy the final few episodes. (I can't figure out how to wink in emoticon, so imagine me winking here)

I am very much looking forward to another Branaugh/Poirot movie! I enjoyed his version very much. I won't say more or less than others, I simply enjoy each of them, although Ustinov is probably my least favorite, and Suchet IS Poirot in my head. :)

He is in mine, too, MrsL. The one and only Poirot. If you've never seen it, this documentary about him and the character is great - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FX3ITew9Mpw

>14 MrsLee: & >15 Bookmarque:
While I enjoy Peter Ustinov's version, it is because I like Peter Ustinov and his off-hand portrayal. I am aware from my wife, a Christie aficionado I would say, and the Poirot stories I have read, that Suchet's Poirot is the truest to Christie's character. Suchet's stories I watch for the mystery; Ustinov I watch for the humourish entertainment. They both have their place in my heart. :-)

Another one and so appropriate for the pub -



It's for Red Dragon by Thomas Harris. So cool although it is the wrong image, the one in the tattoo in the book is the Blake painting.

>17 Bookmarque:
Very nice!

Dracula has so many great covers -

>17 Bookmarque: >19 Bookmarque: Nice!

Castle by J. Robert Lennon

Oooh very neat.

Not exactly beautiful, but describes the contents exactly:



The cartoon is a very typical example of Jock Leyden's style as seen in the Durban Daily News for years when I wur a lad.

>23 hfglen:
I love it.

>23 hfglen: That's perfect!

Found another one today -

>26 Bookmarque: Ooooo, a green dragon at that.

I know, bonus right?

Here's a beauty, although it isn't particularly aligned to the story -

>28 Bookmarque: That doesn't remind me of the book at all!

>28 Bookmarque: It is pretty. I’d buy it as a card.

>30 2wonderY: I thought the same thing!

Found this one today. I love how the time machine straps make it look like a giant backpack. So perfect for the explorer idea. Plus he really needs a haircut.

Another cool one -



It's for The Hound of the Baskervilles which is kind of funny since I don't recall spiders, bats or anything else in the shot. Still, I really like it. Kind of Gorey-esque.

one more!

What can I say? I'm on a roll.

>33 Bookmarque: Kind of wondering about that one, I don't think it is indicative at all!

yeah, it's kind of bizarre. I like it though.

Here's another beauty -

>37 Bookmarque: Now that one draws my eye and curiosity!
The Daughter of Time

>37 Bookmarque: Nice one, and also symbolic of the story.

It is pretty spot on. I've only read the book once, but I liked it.

This one caught my eye today -

>40 Bookmarque: Pretty!

This one is a little sneaky.

>42 Bookmarque:
Nice. It hints at the Gothic elements.

Here's another one. The book was so-so as I recall, but this cover is gorgeous.

>44 Bookmarque: I rather enjoyed the book but then I live in the area although nearer to Huntingdon than Ely.

Ok. This one caught my attention. It's been a while since I read the book, so I have no idea how applicable it is. Striking though.



Any guesses as to the book?

The Stag In The Iron Mask?

Is it a Michael Moorcock cover? It seems familiar...

It's actually Thomas Harris's Hannibal. Pretty weird.

Here's a cool one -

>49 Bookmarque: I was trying to figure out who the artist was - Gerald Brom was a possibility.

Not so beautiful maybe, but striking.

>51 Bookmarque: Interesting, for sure! I like the nerves/electric shocks.

Yeah it's kind zappy in that way.

Here's another I ran across while filling Original Publication Dates -

Another striking cover -



Does it even need a title anymore with this tragic icon?

Another tragic icon -

Love Minus Eighty by Will McIntosh. As you've probably guessed, the book is about a cryogenically frozen woman.

The dust jacket is made of transparent paper and shows her hand, the book cover below shows her face.

>56 hnau: Spectacular effect.

>56 hnau: Cool!

>56 hnau: That reminded me of a paperback romance that I had to own. Holographic cover.

Cool work there. I like the extra effort the publisher went to. This one is a bit in the other direction, but I still like it.

This one caught my attention today -



It's for Cat's Cradle by Vonnegut

Ample evidence of why sometimes less is more -







And this one just for fun -

>63 2wonderY: that is gorgeous! Much nicer than the UK cover.

Oooh that is a nice one. And it's on my library list of books to borrow.

Love this one!

Judging by your relative strangeness to me, the lack of books (except the one you wrote) in your catalog and a flagrant disregard for the the rules, I'm not following that link to your book. And I'm flagging you. So there.

>68 Bookmarque:
I like your response to the spammer.

Thanks Pete. I thought it was funny and called out the less than subtle approach.

Carrying on. I quite like these -

>71 Bookmarque: Me too.

They look like woodcuts don't they? Always like those.

Here's one that's a bit cringe-inducing, but creative!

>73 Bookmarque: Yes, that's something!

>73 Bookmarque: Hmm, pulling a fang out by the roots. Cringworthy indeed. Very creative image that.

Yeah, it's a bit...much. But I like it. And this one, but the book not so much.

And another good Dracula cover -

>77 Bookmarque:
Zahar always has excellent book covers for their classics. :)

It's a good one! Here are some new (I think) Christie covers -

>79 Bookmarque: My first reaction was, "How bright!" My second was, "Lovely, and I think Miss Marple would approve."

I love The Founders Trilogy covers.

Foundryside, Shorefall & Locklands by Robert Jackson Bennett

>81 oreseur: Those are beautiful. It would certainly make me pick it up and try it.

>79 Bookmarque: Those are great covers, makes me want to read them again.

>81 oreseur: >82 2wonderY: Those are good covers, I agree.

Those are really nice. Mysterious!

I know this isn't a book cover, but it stopped me because I love this movie and need to see if I can get this poster. It's so awesome. Plus Snake...I thought you were dead!

Another for Miss Marple. I just liked it.

This isn't what my copy looks like, but I wouldn't mind -

>86 Bookmarque: That reminds me of some Sunset Magazine covers put out in the 1930s (I think, unless they were later, mimicking the art deco style), which depicted various natural wonders in the west.

It does kind of look like that!

Here's another one I like. The book was meh for me though.

That's a great cover! I liked the book better than you, I think.

>88 Bookmarque: Nice cover.

I liked the book.

Here's another beauty -

I don't know that it's beautiful exactly, but I like it -

oooh I really like this one -

>93 Bookmarque: Me too!

I'm a fan of >92 Bookmarque:, that's very clever.

Not beautiful per se, but a funny thing that came up in the cover module on the home page -

>96 Bookmarque: Clever

I thought it was funny that it came up in that way to make a whole face...kinda.

But here's another that I love -

Ok, so not a book cover, but I LOVE THIS -

Found this one today. Haven't read it in a long time, but Smiley was a tricky one.

>100 Bookmarque: I like the simplicity of that one. Also the colors.

Me, too. Here's another Le Carre!

Ah another bird-themed Ross MacDonald!

I really like that! I love that style of art.

Oooh another beauty -

Another fun Frankenstein cover!

Dracula gets good ones, too. Not exactly beautiful, but I like that the artist went with monster rather than romantic lead -

I really like this one.

That looks gritty and sinister!

Here's one I like -

>110 Bookmarque: Oh yes! Some of those classic orange Penguins were so well designed.

Yeah, they had some good designers and artists.

I like this cover, but it doesn't have much to do with the book -

I love Tiffany's croissants.

I particularly like those covers for P.D. James up there in >71 Bookmarque:.

I think there could be a number of approaches used for creating a cover for Dracula but that one in #107 might well have countered any interest in a casual reader. It's far more frightening than most.

>112 Bookmarque: I've never read anything by Capote, should I?

I liked B at T well enough although it isn't as romantic or glamorous as the movie or the idea most of us have of the book because of the association with Audrey Hepburn. His more famous book In Cold Blood didn't do it for me at all since he seemed to admire and want to excuse and glorify the killers. I abandoned it about 1/4 of the way through.

>116 Bookmarque: He seems to be a famous author, but I've never seen anything that grabbed my attention. That's true for me of a lot of 'famous' authors though.

Yeah, sometimes I just don't get the popularity.

Speaking of -



It's an older book. From the 60s I think, from a guy who is hit or miss for me and makes my brain ache. This book was just impossible for me to finish.

>102 Bookmarque: clever! I like that it actually references a key moment across several of the Smiley books

I don't remember that, but it's been ages since I read them. It's actually for The Magus by John Fowles.

Here's another good one -

Another that's weird considering what the story is, the opposite of science/technology -

Oh and this one -



They turned the story shown here (somewhat inaccurately) into one of the vignettes in Creepshow 2. Good times.

Seems appropriate for this thread:

https://getpocket.com/explore/item/the-25-most-iconic-book-covers-in-history?utm...

Totally appropriate. Some good ones there. Most seem to be original printing covers, but the Interview with the Vampire cover isn't.

>123 Karlstar: I am reading Hemingway's A Movable Feast at the moment. His chapter on F. Scott Fitzgerald mentions the garish cover of The Great Gatsby in very unflattering terms. He said he had to remove it to read the book, but the book blew him away. He described it as a cover of the worst of bad science fiction.

That is so weird...I really like the original cover for TGG. Then again, I don't know that Hemingway was a paragon of taste.

Here's one I came across that I quite like -

>126 Bookmarque: I'm sure in his own mind he was. ;)

>127 MrsLee: Aren't we all. :-)

>126 Bookmarque: That is nice. The illustration looks like an image from early C20th British travel posters which promoted destinations that could be reached by bus or train. If it's not an original image then it's a good imitation.

Not being British, I had no idea that this was similar to something that everyone is pretty familiar with. It looks like it would work for a lot of people to get them to travel in country.

Here's another one that stood out to me today. Great book, too!!

This is pretty darn cool -

Is he holding a sock puppet?

>132 MrAndrew: If he is then that's a violation of the site TOS

>131 Bookmarque: Wow! That's a great image.

Sock puppet?! Could beeeeee!!!

Lately I've noticed how gorgeous Uncle Steve's covers have been -







Fairy Tale is in a different style, and probably had a different designer, but it evokes the story pretty well as do the others. Makes me want to have a shelf in my living room to display them.

These are gorgeous! The UK edition of Fairy tale looks like it may be by the same designer/illustrator as the first two in your post.

Oh that's so striking! And it is very pertinent to the story. The serif font reminds me of the Bag of Bones era of King covers.

This one just came up in my feed, I think it's the trade paperback -



When you know the story, this is very creepy indeed.

Here's a couple railroad related covers

The Gracekeepers by Kirsty Logan

Ooooh very pretty! I love it.

Another fun Dracula cover -

>139 hnau: By a strange coincidence I found this edition of The gracekeepers on the "leave a book - take a book" shelf at the station last week! It came home with me in part because of having seen this post!

Found this in the feed today -

And another -

>143 Bookmarque: & >144 Bookmarque: I like both of those!

I'm a sucker for minimalism.

This one isn't exactly that, but I like it -

>143 Bookmarque: Ooooh, very nice for the holidays! And I liked the railroad-themed covers up there as well!

Yeah, Christie gets some nice covers through the years. This one isn't Christie, but oh, it's so great -

>148 Bookmarque: That is a good one.

Pretty evocative of both the book and the movie.

I just re-listened to a dramatic adaptation of this one so I'm happy that I came across this -

Adalyn Grace, Belladonna. Saw this one at the supermarket the other day.

>151 hnau: This series has such gorgeous covers, I want to own them but the plots don't appeal to me. Must. Resist.

>152 Sakerfalcon: Yes, I was seriously tempted to buy the book for the print on the sides alone. But the text did not resonate with me, and I'd very much prefer the original English anyway.

EDIT:

Comparing the first few pages in German and in English, I like the English text much better. I might put it on my fiction wishlist.

The German version is translated rather loosely at some points. We even learn location names at a different place in the first chapter, or with less detail (e.g. "Foxglove" vs. "Foxglove manor").

>153 hnau: Foxglove Manor appears in the book? Is that a common name in literature?

>154 Karlstar: Places are often named after plants, and you can find a few Foxglove ways, drives, a house and a barn on Google Maps, all in the UK.

In literature, there is mainly Foxglove Manor by Robert Williams Buchanan. Google Books also finds a few very recent works.

I haven't read any of the above, so I can't tell if there is a deeper connection.

>155 hnau: It caught my attention as that is the name of a horror house in a Pathfinder adventure I've run a couple of times.

I haven't posted here in ages, but this one stopped me -

want.

>157 Bookmarque: Oh, I like this one!

It's darn cool. So is this one -

>160 Bookmarque: Oh, yes!

>160 Bookmarque: and >161 Alexandra_book_life: Agree that the Christie cover is absolutely eye-catching. Nicely modern.

>160 Bookmarque: That's a good one.

Some of the recent Christie's are pretty great and so was this -

>164 Bookmarque: That's gorgeous!

How about this? I mentioned the book in my own thread a couple of days ago. The book itself is something to look at too: nice wide margins, clear typography, good-quality laid paper.



ETA: and of course since it was published by Knopf, there's "A Note on. the Type" among the end matter. This is how it's done, and yes I know it's expensive.

>166 haydninvienna: Beautiful!

>167 MrsLee: Yes indeed. The book was designed by one Harry Ford, who I must assume is the Harry Ford to whom it was dedicated. It's a lovely book to look at. I just noticed that although most of the poems are less than a page long, any poem that goes over a page gets its title as a running head on the second and subsequent pages. Definitely the right way to do it.

>166 haydninvienna: That's gorgeous! I like Merwin but I'm not familiar with that volume.

That one looks like a beaut! I love when books are physically enjoyable and match their contents well.

Found another similar Christie -



Looks to be an audio.

>171 Bookmarque: I wish that was an actual lamp. How cool would that be?

>171 Bookmarque: What MrsLee said. It's really a GREAT cover -- evocative of the story while also being eye-catching.

Here's another striking cover -



I seem to remember some kind of eye or satellite or something looking down from the sky, but I don't recall it being such a big part of the story. Maybe I need to read it again.

Another one that caught my eye in the feed today. Pretty much nails what I remember about the atmosphere of this book -

>176 Bookmarque: Me too.

Spot on isn't it?

This one caught me just now. The original paperback has a great cover, too.

I've always loved the Lord of the Rings covers from the late 70's. Part of what makes them special is they are b J.R.R. Tolkien himself.

>171 Bookmarque: >174 Bookmarque: Those are awesome, would love to have the editions that go with them.

I hated the book, but love this cover -

>181 Bookmarque: Oh, this is gorgeous!
I haven't read this one, but I did like Orlando very much ;)

It is very pretty. Not so much for this one, but I liked it -



It's for Crichton's historical fiction slasher flick Eaters of the Dead. Read it, don't bother with the movie.

>183 Bookmarque: I actually loved the book. In the edition I have, there are some notes in the back of the book. Apparently, he had a college professor/friend who was going to teach a literature class on boring books of western civilization and start with Beowulf. Michael Crichton disagreed. He said Beowulf wasn't boring and that he would prove it. So that's how this book came to be. Thought that was interesting and I do like the book.

That movie is my trashy pleasure.

>185 MrAndrew: Me too.

I like how the horse sizes are reversed from actual history. Plus, vikings.

Well it is John McTiernan so maybe it has some redeeming qualities.

>186 MrsLee: I'm not surprised. Eye candy right ;)

>189 MrAndrew: Ayup! But also it fits nicely in my collection of corny movies that just work. Ghostrider and Van Helsing are two others in that category.

A strangely intriguing book although quite oblique and almost every character is called by first and last names all the time. It's quite odd, but I've read it many times and this is my favorite cover for it -

Another beaut -

This is darn cool -

>193 Bookmarque: That’s wonderful!

>193 Bookmarque: Oh, wow! Gorgeous :)

I haven't seen the other books with covers like that, but someone should do it.

Found this one today -

Check out this lovely -

>197 Bookmarque: I like this one!

>197 Bookmarque: Nope

ophidiophobic?

>200 MrAndrew: Yep

>199 MrsLee: I'm with you!

Ok you buncha babies (lol), here's another one for you -



One of the slowest-burn, creepy novels of all time. Much like my first reading or two of Something Wicked This Way Comes, I didn't get it until the 3rd or 4th time through. It's darn great though and this cover is so perfect. The Elementals

>203 Bookmarque: This is a very creepy cover... (I haven't read the book.)

>203 Bookmarque: that's amazing! Now I want to read the book (with all the lights on!)

It's a decent ghost story...well sort of paranormal more than that. Definitely weird and out there.

Here's another -



for The Odyssey if you can't spot the obvious.

>206 Bookmarque: Lovely :)

Another that's pretty cool and from my recollection captures the house quite well -

>203 Bookmarque:
It is suitable for a Thomas Ligotti story.

Another beaut!

>210 Bookmarque: Blue is definitely the theme.

>210 Bookmarque: Ooh that's nice! Suits the period of the novel.

>210 Bookmarque: Loved it!

Another lovely cover although I don't remember a cruise ship in the book -



Oh and another, but I don't think Ripley dug a big hole/bunker -

>214 Bookmarque: Those are gorgeous, but could be used for a number of books set in the early-mid C20th. They look like vintage travel posters (although the spade in the second one would be an unusual detail!)

Now you bring it up, they are like those travel ads. Could be used for a lot of things. This one, not so much, but I still like it -

it's awful. i love it.

aww, the triffid is watching the satellites blinding people!

Here's another one -



Should we continue into another thread at this point?

One more -

I'm going through my backlog of covers -

>218 Bookmarque: Gorgeous!

Is this thread getting too cumbersome? Might be time to create a new one. For now here's another lovely find from the cover carousel -

Yes, I'd say start a new thread, but I do like the Bat cover there in #222.