#litstudies

Okay so I got bored, and instead of keeping up with my university reading list I decided to rate some book covers. Because that’s not at all vapid, and will definitely be a good use of my time. This list really isn’t comprehensive but covers the main few book publishers in the UK. :)

No.1 : Oxford World Classics

7/10, pretty solid

Nice matte finish

pretty picture on the front AND on the spine

Very professional with the white banner across the front

Times New Roman titles - just like my essays

‘World’ classics doesn’t actually represent much of world literature: -3 points

No.2 : Oxford School’s Shakespeare

2/10, where is the effort??

I’m sorry but what actually is this?

Like I’m sure someone put effort into this art

maybe

but then to slap it onto this shitshow

the colours don’t work

the mismatched fonts don’t work

and the glossy cover

its like lads at oxford press glossing over how shit this looks

the insides are fine, i actually own this copy of the tempest

but still

No.3 : Cambridge Schools Shakespeare

6/10, muchhhhhh better

now this is how you do shakespeare

i also have this copy of hamlet 

another glossy cover, what a gem

photo from an actual performance of hamlet

come to think of it, these books are chock full of images of actual performances of the play in question

lots of acting notes

white text does break up the image

and its definitely sacrificed beauty for functionality

No.4 : Wordsworth Classics

5/10: eh, its alright

pretty much the middle ground in terms of book covers

the white borders give a lil’ retro feel

artwork is often a bit iffy

but these are subsidised in the uk so we can buy them super cheap 

so I don’t really mind

and also they have some good notes in the back

a solid starting off point 

No.5: Vintage Classics

8/10: minimalism done right

really pretty artwork

often sticks to a monochromatic colour palette

Mismatched fonts work very well

text and font sizes are very accessible (i had this book for school)

just pretty

nice glossy paper cover

spine does tend to break / crease, -2 points

translations are really well-written

No.6: Penguin Modern Classics

8/10, sleek

literally the book version of an open plan apartment

muted colours make it mysterious

papery matte cover, au naturelle one could say

focuses on 20th century authors which is nice

down to earth

makes a book cover with a photograph on it look good, which is a feat in of itself

No.7 Penguin Classics

10/10, the OG

Impeccable

minimalistic yet refined

screams dark academia

all the artwork looks stunning and is often tonally appropriate

simply iconic, the banners and text is so sleek

classic penguin orange peeking through - perfect brand cohesion