Chip Kidd: Graphic Guru

Categories: Staff Picks , Nonfiction , Arts & Crafts

 If you are an admirer of edgy, captivating book covers then chances are you have probably eyed books designed by Chip Kidd. Chip Kidd is a graphic designer with Knopf publishers and is regarded by many as the best in the business. He recently put out Volume 1 of a collection of some of his most memorable and provocative covers. Not only are the covers of Chip Kidd's books a visual treat, the inside content is usually pretty interesting- at a recent signing at Joseph-Beth Booksellers, I had the opportunity to ask Chip Kidd whether he reads any of the books whose covers he designs. He replied that he tries to read all of them. Generally, the covers Kidd designs are for books worth reading. Here are a few to try:

Snow by Orhan Pamuk

Seek My Face by John Updike

Naked by David Sedaris

and of course, Kidd's own semi-autobiographical novel The Cheese Monkeys