title: Strange Flesh (Poets, Penguin)

Strange Flesh (Poets, Penguin)

I love Mark’s website, and this cover proves he knows print design: this cover might have been a little austere and too ‘fine art’ but the type does it in; odd characters strangely drawn… I’d only wish they were made by hand, and visibly so, as they’re looking a little font-y. I hope Mark will continue to post on the blog more often and send us work to post, as he’s really quite talented!

— , 2008-10-23 07:50:00 -0400

A wonderful post about this cover at: http://bookcoversanonymous.blogspot.com/2008/10/mark-melnick-strange-flesh.html

Mark sheds a lot of light on how this baby went down. It was done in like 30 minutes—just the way we like it.

— ian shimkoviak , 2008-10-23 08:07:00 -0400

The nude photos are by the great American photographer Eward Weston.

— , 2008-10-23 23:59:00 -0400

Mom, is that you?

— Mark Melnick , 2008-10-24 04:13:00 -0400

Mark’s comment was an interesting look into the publishing world as it concerns covers. I was surprised to hear Penguin does runs as small as 4,000 – and that a design budget for a major publisher could be $0. And that they sometimes don’t care if they don’t make any money.

I can’t imagine many places where a font that stylized and gaudy would work as well as it does right here and now. I like it particularly in conjunction with the treatment of the author name.

I like the color palette … another one with beige overload, but it seems appropriate with the Fleshy concept. The pictures are okay. I would like to see one large nude used rather than two smaller (something a la The Strokes UK cover for ‘Is This Is’)... but perhaps this is personal preference territory.

The choice of nudes for a book about flesh of any sort (metaphorical, literal?) seems the proper, if not blindingly obvious, solution. A solution arrived at in 30 minutes perhaps.

Don’t know that I’d be drawn to this book much. That’s not really the design’s fault anymore than it is a complete lack of understanding about what this book is. I guess it could be about sex and indulgences, or not fitting in sexually? Either way, this Mormon boy isn’t immediately interested enough to find out. I guess the design doesn’t seduce me like it wants to?

— C-Dog , 2008-10-24 08:46:00 -0400

Poetry runs typically are around 1,000—so Penguin is actually printing quite a few. Logan is someone well known, so they must have felt is a worthwhile investment for the prestige.

It is a lovely cover, and Penguin should be congratulated for investing in poetry, which most presses don’t care about at all.

— , 2008-10-24 10:17:00 -0400

I feel a little voyeurism with this cover … and I’m only 33. God I hope this doesn’t get worse with age, but the girls are beautiful.

— Auguste , 2008-10-24 13:57:00 -0400

it’s the photographers wife my dear sir. enjoy your friday.

— ian shimkoviak , 2008-10-24 15:32:00 -0400

the only really exciting thing about his cover is that it got up.
Nudity always grabs attention- especially if you double it
Design wise its kinda messy, scratchy and contrived

— , 2008-10-26 18:37:00 -0400

at penguin, there is no such thing as a design budget of $0. mark, or anyone else maggie hires to do the poetry design, gets a competitive rate. the design fee eats up the overall “cover” budget, so therefore leaves not much room for art fees, which can result in some very creative covers. its nice to have that sort of balance in a list where you witness things created with lotsa money and things done with less, and what the results are.

yes, all houses do some things for prestige. as in the movie industry, the big best-sellers often carry smaller books that do not earn out. there are reasons, other than money, to publish someones work.

is it just me, or is her butt really strange looking?

— , 2008-10-27 06:24:00 -0400

the cover is edward weston photographs. the rest is superfluous. and i think her butt is beautiful.

— ana carolina , 2008-11-08 06:37:00 -0500

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— yapay havuz , 2009-12-03 10:18:01 -0500

garlica

— garlica , 2010-01-20 08:16:54 -0500

biber hapi
fx15
lida
rent a car
magna rx
penis büyütücü
elektronik sigara

— red pepper , 2010-01-28 07:30:59 -0500