With the advent of online bookstores, the cover of a book has become our first visual interaction with unknown tomes. Still, though, in bookstores and libraries and our friends’ shelves at dinner parties, we are most often greeted by the spine of a book. It is, despite that familiarity, maybe a bit neglected as a design form—more like the edge of a cassette tape case than the front of a record sleeve. A successful book spine can work in different ways, whether it is so optically compelling that it invites further investigation; or the design and imagery match the text so perfectly that we can’t wait to see the cover and interior; or maybe the spine even manages to squeeze in a hint of narrative that compels us to peek at what’s under the cover. In the image above, please enjoy a sampling of book spines that caught our eye as we looked across the Gwarlingo bookcases. And have a wonderful Sunday with your own books or however the morning greets you today.
Thanks to hundreds of readers who have given donations big and small, Gwarlingo remains ad-free. Donors who give $50 become members. If you love Gwarlingo, please consider giving back.
FURTHER EXPLORATION
Thank you for reading. Please enjoy some of the books pictured in this article. A portion of all purchases goes to support Gwarlingo.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR: CORWIN LEVI
Corwin is a visual artist working in design, illustration, bookmaking, curating, and writing. As an artist, he has attended over twenty artist residencies. He has also have lived in eighteen cities across twelve states. Along with Michelle Aldredge, he co-created Mirror Mirrored: An Artists’ Edition of 25 Grimms’ Tales. He is currently remixing vintage game boards and making a book from illustrations of Alice in Wonderland.
