The Illustrated Dust Jacket: 1920-1970
- Submitting institution
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Anglia Ruskin University Higher Education Corporation
- Unit of assessment
- 32 - Art and Design: History, Practice and Theory
- Output identifier
- 513
- Type
- A - Authored book
- DOI
-
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- Publisher
- Thames & Hudson
- ISBN
- 9780500519134
- Open access status
- -
- Month of publication
- October
- Year of publication
- 2017
- URL
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-
- Supplementary information
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- Request cross-referral to
- -
- Output has been delayed by COVID-19
- No
- COVID-19 affected output statement
- -
- Forensic science
- No
- Criminology
- No
- Interdisciplinary
- No
- Number of additional authors
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0
- Research group(s)
-
-
- Proposed double-weighted
- No
- Reserve for an output with double weighting
- No
- Additional information
- This 200-page full-colour hardback publication examines the evolution of the dust jacket as a detachable wraparound form of decorative promotion, more specifically the increasing role of pictorial illustration in this field through the middle decades of the twentieth century. It is the first book to do so in the specific context of the art of illustration, and in particular, the impact on the illustration profession of the increased use of pictorial design in this context. The book examines the work of leading practitioners from the UK, USA and other countries where the tradition emerged, examining their individual contributions to the evolution of the field.
Wide-ranging research took place through e.g. the British Library Dust Jacket Collection and contact with surviving relatives of key practitioners, to aid insight into individual working methods and practices. As with all of my books, it was vital to me to be involved closely with the visual presentation of the research- the design of the book, the selection and commissioning of the artist for the book’s jacket and the overseeing of photography of physical books to be seen as artefacts (many from the authors collection).
Published simultaneously in the UK and USA the book quickly became established as a Thames & Hudson best-seller, reprinted within months of issue. It has received exceptionally positive reviews in e.g. The Observer newspaper (Peter Conrad’s books of the year), The Literary Review (John Sutherland), The Washington Post, Print magazine (Steven Heller) and BBC Culture (Books of the Year).
The wide reach and impact of the book through sales and publicity has been augmented by invitations to the author to speak at Literary festivals across the UK through 2018, including Edinburgh Book Festival, Port Eliot Literary Festival and York Festival of Ideas where full houses attended each event.
- Author contribution statement
- -
- Non-English
- No
- English abstract
- -
