Face it, it is nearly impossible to avoid the cliche', "Never judge a book by its cover." Yet a book's cover is the first impression that readers get when they're making their choices. And first impressions are seemingly important, until like an Austen heroine we learn to delve beyond first impressions and learn more. AustenBlog.com founder and The Jane Austen Handbook author Margaret C. Sullivan, proves there is more to a cover in Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Covers.
Replete with 200 years of colorful cover art, Jane Austen Cover to Cover takes readers through the transformation of Austen's works as they evolve with technology and adapt based on new cultureal views and changing times. Sullivan's in depth look at each edition of Austen's classic titles reveals not only the distinct design trends of the time but also a glimpse into the advancement of publishing and marketing savvy...
My Impressions:
I absolutely love this book so far. I am over halfway through it and have not been disappointed one bit in all of the information in it. I admit I am only a reader of Austen fiction and have never studied in-depth about her life or the meaning behind her writings etc. but I have enjoyed years of reading her novels and have had several different versions pass through my hands over the years. This is a beautifully packaged hard-back book that (as the title says), takes you through 200 years of covered prints of Jane Austen's books. Each print gives a little information about the publisher, the thought process of the depiction on the cover and a bit about Austen's life. Some of the covers made me laugh because they seemed to have nothing to do with the actual story, but others were pretty spot-on. If you are a Jane Austen fan then this is a definite "must-have" book for your collection!
*I received my copy of the book from QuirkPublishers for review purposes. All opinions are my own.
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