Design: Classic Book Covers – 1st Editions

Most books before WWII were simply the name of the book and author, with perhaps a small illustration, embossed or printed on the cover itself. The idea of a dust jacket didn’t come into prominence until after the war. Printing became more refined and the idea of commercial advertising and art was thriving. These books have all seen a multitude of covers with subsequent printings and editions – but these are the firsts. Some beautifully designed (Ulysses) some not, (The Shining).

To Kill A Mockingbird – Harper Lee

The Talented Mr. Ripley – Patricia Highsmith

A Clockwork Orange – Anthony Burgess

The Hobbit – J.R.R. Tolkien

The Shining – Stephen King

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz – L. Frank Baum

The Naked Lunch – William H. Burroughs

Confederacy of Dunces – John Kennedy Toole

The Great Gatsby – F. Scott Fitzgerald

The Thin Man – Dashiell Hammett

Ulysses – James Joyce

Goldfinger – Ian Fleming

Fight Club – Chuck Palahniuk

The Maltese Falcon – Dashiell Hammett

Grapes of Wrath – John Steinbeck

The Sun Also Rises – Ernest Hemingway