Looking at April 2024 new releases
The Obscene Bird of the Night written by Jose Donoso. Translated by Leonard Mades.
Originally published in 1979, this book was reissued this month with a new haunting cover design. It looks like fragments of a nightmare. I love how the cutouts of what looks like tree bark give more texture to the whole composition. Below are past cover designs.
The Age of Magical Overthinking written by Amanda Montell. Cover design by Laywan Kwan.
The cover art reminds me of tarot cards. I’m getting imagery of astrology, palm reading, the occult…overall a vibe of something mystical and otherworldly. This led me to an interesting history of tarot card. The original tarot cards were not meant to be used for prophecy but instead as objects for portraiture and playing games. Also, what I think of as the classic tarot card aesthetic is actually a deck that was made in the early 1900s even though tarot cards have been around since the 1400s. Below you can see the difference 600 years made.
Juno Loves Legs written by Karl Geary. Cover design by Nicole Caputo.
I had to add this one because the cover got me. Without knowing anything about it or having anyone recommend it to me, the cover struck me and I had to read more about it. It’s currently on my almost-TBR-list (pending reading more reviews before it’s officially on my list). I think the photograph is interesting and I’m a sucker for a big bold serif font.
I looked up the original photograph which was taken by Elliott Erwitt in 1952. It just so happens that it was taken in Oakland, CA - where I currently live. For the cover, the designer cropped the photo and I suspect it is so that it follows the golden ratio:
Autofagia written by Alaide Ventura Medina.
As far as I can tell Autofagia has not been translated into English so despite not being able to read it I still appreciate the cover. I like that it rewards someone who takes a closer look. At first glance, it looks as though it’s a quaint line drawing of a vase of flowers but upon further inspection, you see that next to the yellow baby’s breath flowers are our internal organs in a vase with a faint drawing of a human body behind it.
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Another amazing edition, Renee! I love the golden ratio stuff. Fascinating!
The Age of Magical Overthinking's cover is soooo gorgeous!