Visual Scrap #14
The reading issue.
Book Reading
I was thinking about the books I've read this year and which ones were my favorites. I do a poor job of keeping up a list, and my one resolution is to be better at that next year. That said, some highlights for me were: Interior Chinatown, Replaceable You, Anne Rice's Mayfair Chronicles, A Small Town in Germany, Mr. New Orleans, James, and Frankenstein. Also, I'm only about half way through, but I pick up this book of short essays whenever I'm between books or want a quick hit – Goodbye to All That. On deck are Slough House (because I loved Slow Horses) and Sally Mann's Art Work.
Book Covers
Book covers I wish I had designed. Replaceable You comes with one caveat – I hate that there's not a real hierarchy on the cover – title, author and graphic are all kinda the same size and importance. I would love to redo this one because that illustration by David Vanadia is really a perfect execution of a highly complicated concept.
I also have been collecting these type-driven John Le Carré hard back editions from the 70s. Every estate sale has at least one.
The Casual Optimist has put together an extensive list of notable book covers from 2025. My favorite trend is "...I feel like covers inspired by 1980s advertising and airbrush art are suddenly a thing. There are a few examples from 2025, but it might be something we see more of next year as well." It feels surprisingly fresh to me.
Online Reading
If you need encouragement to stop scrolling:
Blackbird Spyplane
If you want practical IP advice for the new year:
The Innovator®
If you want to explore the consequences of both visualizing imagery and not:
Larissa MacFarquhar
If you want to read/watch at work, it's about food, but also about advertising:
