We’ve all been told not to judge a book by its cover, but I beg to differ.
Absolutely judge a book by its cover.
Glancing at my own bookshelves, I see many covers that reveal something about the enclosed content. The nearly non-existent jacket of Elizabeth Speare’s Calico Captive, for example, suggests that the tale is so enthralling that its readers prefer lugging the book through damaging circumstances (i.e. the car) to putting it down. Likewise, Anna Karenina’s textured cover, the plastic pattern rubbed off by incessant usage, marks how often hands have cradled that life-changing—and dauntingly thick—novel.
Notice not only the state of the cover, but also its design. The lush Nebraska farmland advertising Willa Cather’s O Pioneers! assures you that you will be reading a more descriptive than narrative work. The farm buildings show that your novel is set in the American midwest around the turn of the twentieth century. Depending on your copy, you may even learn that your protagonist is a work-hardened woman characterized by endurance and grit—a pioneer.
Take a look at some of our Beaufort titles.
I have yet to read A Walk in the Clouds, but judging from the cover I expect an adventure set in the western European mountains in the not-too-distant past. I envision a work reflecting the majesty of nature, and how the dignity of man and his experiences interplays with that majesty. The scenes and color palettes of The Embassy, on the other hand, reveal that this book is a war tale: high action and fast paced.
Granted, a cover will not tell you everything about a book. In addition to the visual appeal, we need Amazon reviews or a recommendation from a friend to decide which book we will dedicate hours of our future time to reading.
The cover, though, is a good place to start.
– BEAUtie Wooster, Summer Intern 2023
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