The perfect gift for every book lover: 50 beautifully designed books May 24 2021
So how did we go about curating this collection of impactful typographic and lettering book cover designs?
Well, by following a simple but tedious two- step process.
First we studied several respected '100 books to read' type compilations. Specifically - the original 2003 BBC Big Read, The Guardian's 100 greatest novels all time, Time Magazine's All Time 100, Amazon’s 100 Books to Read in a Lifetime, Project Gutenberg's Top 100, and finally Harvard's Top 100 must reads.
Then we sieved through cover after cover from the above master list,
with a trained hawk eye to pick out only the most striking book jacket designs. Many of them designed under the direction of Penguin Book's long standing art & creative director - Paul Buckley.
Thus ensuring each of the book cover editions you see below - will be both - equally sought after to read, as they are to collect, by any self-respecting bibliophile.
Alternatively you could gift wrap the bookworm in question something from our literary posters ( like the Lolita poster below), or from our website specialising in inspirational typographic art.
Happy browsing!
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/1_crime_and_punishment_book_cover_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568098987)
Image: Crime and Punishment - hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/3_1984_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568100778)
Image: 1984 -Minimalist 'Censored' typographic book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/4_charlie_and_the_chocolate_factory_book_cover_1_b67982b6-1127-463d-9fc9-9a074bd4eb17_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568170716)
Image: Charlie and the chocolate factory- custom lettering and illustration book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/atlas_shrugged_book_cover_2_1024x1024.png?v=1568174475)
Image: Atlas Shrugged- rare, typographic leather bound book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5_dracula_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568100977)
Image: Dracula- hand lettering book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.14_the_scarlett_letter_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101003)
Image: The Scarlett letter- hand lettering and typography book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.2_les_miserables_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101063)
Image: Les Miserables- hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/james_and_the_giant_peach_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568175237)
mage: James and the giant peach- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/alice_in_wonderland_2_1024x1024.png?v=1568177206)
mage: Alice in Wonderland- hand lettering and illustrations by Floor Rieder book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/a_heartbreaking_work_of_staggering_genius_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568174617)
Image: A heartbreaking work of staggering genius- typographic book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/the-stranger-book_cover1_grande.jpg?v=1568174670)
Image: The stranger- minimalist typographic book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/the_canterbury_tales_eric_gill_book_cover_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568174701)
Image: The Canterbury Tales- rare, typographic leather bound book cover, illustrated by Eric Gill.
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/peter_pan_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568175995)
mage: Peter Pan- chalk hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.4_Lolita_book_cover_1_1024x1024.png?v=1568101132)
Image: Lolita- typographic book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.5_lord_of_the_flies_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101174)
Image: Lord of the flies- hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/King_Queen_Knave_book_cover_grande.jpg?v=1568174902)
Image: King, Queen, Knave- typography and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.6_the_bronte_sisters_trilogy_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101235)
Image: The Bronte sisters trilogy- typography and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.7_the_catcher_in_the_rye_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101268)
Image: The catcher in the rye- custom lettering book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.8_The_Handmaid_s_Tale_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101346)
Image: The handmaid's tale - typography and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.9_the_three_musketeers___book_cover_0_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101383)
Image: The three musketeers- hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.11_white_noise_book_cover_1_1024x1024.png?v=1568101476)
Image: White noise- hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.12_the_great_gatsby_art_deco_book_cover_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101520)
Image: The Great Gatsby- custom lettering art deco book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.13_tender_is_in_the_night_book_cover_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101555)
Image: Tender is the night- custom lettering art deco book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.15_a_portrait_of_the_young_man_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101627)
Image: A portrait of the artist as a young man- hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.16_Madame_Bovary_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101653)
Image: Madame Bovary - hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/Jane_Eyre_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101696)
Image: Jane Eyre- hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.17_Middlemarch_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101730)
Image: Middle March- hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.18_pride-and-prejudice_book_cover1_grande.jpg?v=1568101788)
Image: Pride and Prejuidice- hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.19_siddhartha_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101761)
Image: Siddhartha- hand lettering book cover from the 'Drop Cap Series'.
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.20_macbeth_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101838)
Image: Macbeth- typography and illustration book cover design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.21_Othello_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101869)
Image: Othello- typography and illustration book cover design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.22_hamlet_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101899)
Image: Hamlet- typography and illustration book cover design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/5.23_king_lear_book_cover_1_grande.jpg?v=1568101926)
Image: King Lear- typography and illustration book cover design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/6.1_frankenstein_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568101999)
Image: Frankenstein- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/emma_jane_austen_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568175517)
mage: Emma- embroidery and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/7_fear_of_flying_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102040)
Image: Fear of flying- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/9_heart_of_darkness_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102115)
Image: Heart of Darkness- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/Little_women_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568183495)
Image: Little Women- hand lettering and illustration book cover
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/10_lady_chatterly_s_lover_book_cover_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102178)
Image: Lady Chatterley's lover- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/11_marquis_de_sade_philosophy_in_boudoir_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102213)
Image: Philosophy in the boudoir- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/12_one_flew_over_the_cuckoos_nest_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102236)
Image: One flew over the cuckoo's nest- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/14_moby_dick_book_cover_2_1024x1024.png?v=1568102312)
Image: Moby Dick- typography and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/15_the_adventures_of_huckleberry_finn_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102335)
Image: The adventure's of Huckleberry Finn-
typography and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/16_the_broom_of_the_sytem_book_cover_1_1024x1024.png?v=1568102408)
Image: The broom of the system- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/17_the_canterbury_tales_book_cover_1_1024x1024.png?v=1568102466)
Image: Canterbury Tales- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/18_the_new_york_trilogy_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568102499)
Image: The New York Trilogy- custom lettering and illustration book design
![](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/19_waiting_for_the_barbarians_book_cover_1_1024x1024.png?v=1568102532)
Image: Waiting for the barbarians- custom and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/gravity_s_rainbow_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568172703)
mage: Gravity's Rainbow- typography and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/metamorphosis_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568172756)
mage: Metamorphosis and other stories- lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/the_wizard_of_oz_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568172838)
mage: The Wizard of Oz- embroidery and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/black_beauty_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568172901)
mage: Black Beauty-
embroidery and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/candide_book_cover1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568175260)
mage: Candide- hand lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/money_full_book_cover_1_1024x1024.jpg?v=1568173063)
Image: Money. A novel - hand lettering and illustration book design
![](http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0166/0736/files/MRS._DALLOWAY_VIRGINIA_WOOLF_LITERARY_POSTER_grande.png?v=1568178097)
Alternatively you could gift something from our literary posters collection, like the Mrs Dalloway one featured above, or from our website specialising in inspirational typographic art.
:-)