We do judge books by their cover
We just cannot pretend we do not live in the culture of the image. It is predominant, it’s been flashing before our eyes ever since pop culture got to this planet and it is not easy to detach from such predetermined processes.
When going to bookstores, it is covers one is drawn to. These little works of arts popping up from those sleeves, calling our attention. I tend to think we do seek authors and titles when we’re aware of them, learnt about this new writer from the press, heard about that book title in a random conversation between strangers on the bus. But when it comes to discovering books on our own, it is the book that introduces us to what we might like or dislike in its content aswell.
So, covers do come first.
In the past, there were no covers, just plain and simple author and title and book would just look the same. Is it wrong for us to seek a nice looking outside for an unread novel. I think so. Were does the need to put the text first come? Why should one feel wrong in saying they browse books by their cover? It has to do with prejudice, stereotypes and the fear of being labelled as superficial. In this day and age, to say one gives importance to book covers is to admit to being attracted to aesthetics rather than the intellectual, theoretical content of a book, but this could not be more wrong.
Why would one appear superficial by admitting to seek art in art? Book covers are little works of visual art representing a work of written art. It’s art calling art. It’s when you refuse one (the cover) or the other (the book itself) that one sounds prejudicial.
The more artistic a book cover is, the more it calls my attention. I remember being on the tube one day and saw this woman reading “Everything Is Illuminated” by Jonathan Safran Foer. I had barely heard about it then, and the cover reminded me of some of Virginia Woolf’s book covers, the original ones (“To the Lighthouse“, “Mrs. Dalloway“, etc.), drawn by her sister Vanessa Bell. I haven’t read that book yet, but this just shows how something visual, an image, can draw our attention and make us interested. One wants to discover who the author is, the name of the book itself, if there’s previously published material or if he’s a newcomer, and one ends up reading the novel in the end. There are many ways we can discover books. It is fine to admit the visual effect is one of them.
14 Comments on “We do judge books by their cover”
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I spent some time in the children’s section of the library yesterday and you notice it there more than anywhere. Of course children choose books by their covers, and you wouldn’t expect it to be otherwise, so it’s kind of strange that we’re snobby when adults do the same.
(PS – you should read Everything Is Illuminated – I love that book!)
Yes, this is true. I think that with age, the content becomes more important than the cover for most. But that does not mean that one thing rules out the other!
Thanks for your comment and suggestion!
PS. I am definitely considering reading it, but I’m into classics now and feel the need to finish those first
It’s why the bookstore’s selection is always more enticing than the library’s. Have you ever noticed that the library tends to stray away from flashy covers? You’re right, it’s a cover’s appearance that leads me to pick up a book to read the description on the back. So it may not be the final deciding factor for which books I’m going to read, but it’s definitely a preliminary determining factor.
How true. I also believe that the value we give to covers has to be contextualised. I would not mind borrowing an old-fashioned Great Gatsby book with no design on the cover, for instance. I would love it for what it is, no matter the cover. And I would love to own a copy like that too.
But when it comes to new authors, more elements are needed to convince the possible reader to pick it up and give it its value.
Covers should be judged. They are made to attract attention to the books (maybe sell the books too, though personally I follow a “like the cover => like the blurb => purchase” pattern), and if they fail to do that, then they obviously aren’t doing their job very well.
Exactly! We should not forget about those novels which received a bad cover unjustly!!!
Great post! The viewpoint you presented here is so very true. And it’s just good and honest to admit it.
The same happens with people whom this “Don’t just the book by its cover” is also applicable. There’s nothing wrong in admitting we do it. It’s the first step to try to get to know the “book” and then “judge” it. However we do it the whole time…
C.
Very true. A book is approached in many ways. It is the way we establish a relationship with it that matters in the end. Not how it starts!
The only time I judge a book by it’s cover is if it says Dan Brown or John Grisham. Then I know not to bother reading it.
How come? Does the cover make a difference in that case?
I was being facetious but yes the cover tells me those particular books would be cliche ridden nonsense.
I thought so!
i am doing a school debate arguing that we can judge a book by its cover so thank you , this was extremely helpful
This makes me really happy. Thanks for visiting!!