More Cover Redesign for Classics -- CENSORED Edition

Earlier this week there was commotion about the recent cover updates for some classic literature titles and now there's another update to add to the list.  The newest printing of 1984 by Penguin features a "censored" cover with title and author blackened out.

(Techically, the title was released about a months and a half ago, but apparently I'm a little behind in my publishing news.)

Anyway, Penguin has released five new editions of books by George Orwell all with cover redesigns.  The most interesting of the lot of course being the discussion generating 1984 with its dramatic cover being self-referential, suggesting that Big Brother himself has tried to conceal the book from inquiring minds.  

This redesign has been labeled both "brilliant" and "a risky move" by Penguin, with a few curmudgeons complainging that the title is now illegible and potentially invisible to Amazon and other online book store customers who cannot see the debossed letters under the block, which I think is a little silly (won't the information about the book contain the title and author?).  I believe the new cover is definitely one of the most creative redesigns I've seen in a long time.  And it's definitely better than the sexy runner up...

Trending Topics: Cover Redesigns for Classics -- Oh Anne Shirley!

Are you prepped to get your literary panties in a twist?  Last week one of my former coworkers forwarded me a link to Jezebel’s story about the new cover redesign for The Bell Jar. Because I was busy (explaining how to print out an email to a patron for the hundredth time), I only had a few moments to glance over the article but my reaction was expected: I grimaced, did a Liz Lemon worthy eye roll, and chalked it up to corporate America’s idea to package and advertise a book about depression into something possibly teen or chick lit friendly – with pink and lipstick!

New and "Improved" vs Original

Yesterday I was browsing some trending headlines and my attention was drawn to a cover redesign for Anne of Green Gables and the fuss it has created.  The traditional cover has transformed into one featuring a sassy looking blonde who might suggest a story about a roll in the hay with the farmer’s daughter rather than the tale of an unwanted freckled ginger.  With some parents groups throwing a hissy because they think that the redesign is "sexy" or "too adult" for a children’s book, (I do have to admit that the new Anne Shirley would probably have no problems getting that headstrong Gilbert Blythe to be at her beck and call) it has some asking if the publishing industry has gone too far with covers.

Had I actually read the Jezebel article the first time, I would’ve seen that they had already linked a picture of the new Anne of Green Gables cover, but this made me curious about other classic titles getting makeovers.  Recently Wuthering Heights has been renovated to appeal to the Twilight crowd with its new cover – one that even boasts that it is Edward and Bella’s favorite book(!).   And the latest Breakfast at Tiffany’s edition is in Tiffany & Co.’s trademark blue and brings to mind something classier than a free spirited teenage call girl.  Wtf is going on and can we expect this trend to continue? 

The publishing industry doesn't seem to care what message the new jacket sends. Do these revamped and “updated” covers insult teens or other audiences as indicated (or even the long dead authors)?  Do they trivialize the subject matter? Are these any better than books that have the movie tie-in covers promoting “now a major motion picture”?  Does the end (baiting someone to read) justify the means? Obvi, I don’t have any concrete answers to these questions, but I do believe it lends to an interesting topic for discussion among librarians, teachers, readers, book industry employees, graphic designers, etc.  

This is a rare instance where I have actually read all of the books featured and I can honestly say that none of the “modern” alterations accurately represent any of the titles in my opinion, but some have posed that maybe the same could be said of previous covers.  Except the old Anne of Green Gables says awkward redhead. Oh, and previous The Bell Jar looks like a stone cold bummer.  Annnnd now that I'm thinking of it, the boring landscape of Wuthering Heights makes me yawn like I'm back in 11th grad lit.  Of course they don't have the same agenda either.  Looking up old covers, I find that the 1959 paperback edition of Breakfast appears to be fairly honest about its contents (I recall receiving the middle version as a gift and wondering if it contained the story of a pasty, little man).  In my searching, I also came across several Bell Jar parodies that this makeover s-storm has inspired.

Overheard @ The Info Desk: The Public Needs Help

A short man with shoulder length silver hair and a cowboy-styled mustache approaches the information desk:

Greystache: I can't seem to find any books about the materials needed to build a labyrinth.

Me: (tries to wipe the judgmental "uhhhh..?" off my face as I preform a search) I'm not finding anything in our collection either.  We have the movie Labyrinth, a book about Labyrinth fish, and another book titled Dating Again: A Labyrinth of Choices.

Greystache: Is the movie about building labyrinths?

Me: No, it's an 80's David Bowie movie with some muppets.

Greystache: You mean you don’t have any books on the subject?

Me: No books, would you like me to try searching our databases for--

Greystache:(interrupting and shaking his head) I’m shocked.  Frankly I’m shocked

Exit Greystache.