Jack Smyth
@jackflag.bsky.social
Photoshop is one hell of a drug.
jacksmyth.co
jacksmyth.co
Reposted by Jack Smyth
Here are this month's book covers of note...
Book Covers of Note, October 2025
Hey, I hope you're keeping safe and well wherever you are. Here are my latest book covers of note... Big Kiss, Bye-Bye by Claire-Louise Bennett; design by Stephanie Ross; cover art by Maria Guimarães The Bridegroom Was a Dog by Yoko Tawada; cover illustration by David Plunkert (New Directions / November 2025) Casanova 20 by Davey Davis; design by…
www.casualoptimist.com
October 28, 2025 at 9:44 PM
Here are this month's book covers of note...
The worst take.
AI can help authors beat writer’s block, says Bloomsbury chief
Publisher last week reported jump in revenue in academic and professional arm thanks to AI licensing deal
www.theguardian.com
October 27, 2025 at 5:57 PM
The worst take.
Reposted by Jack Smyth
Reposted by Jack Smyth
Happy publication day to FILLY by @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social 🐎
‘Filly is a testament to the savagery and exaltation of love’ Mary Morrissy
‘Raw and poetic, tender yet unflinching’ Louise Hegarty
‘I devoured Filly in a day’ Liz Berry
‘A perfectly formed sucker punch of a book’ Jan Carson
‘Filly is a testament to the savagery and exaltation of love’ Mary Morrissy
‘Raw and poetic, tender yet unflinching’ Louise Hegarty
‘I devoured Filly in a day’ Liz Berry
‘A perfectly formed sucker punch of a book’ Jan Carson
Now available to pre-order: FILLY, the stunning novel in verse by award-winning poet Rosamund Taylor. Out 9 October 2025 ✨
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social
bansheepress.org/shop/p/filly...
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social
bansheepress.org/shop/p/filly...
Filly by Rosamund Taylor — Banshee Press
248 pages Paperback 9 October 2025 ISBN: 978-1-7393979-8-2
bansheepress.org
October 9, 2025 at 10:36 AM
Happy publication day to FILLY by @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social 🐎
‘Filly is a testament to the savagery and exaltation of love’ Mary Morrissy
‘Raw and poetic, tender yet unflinching’ Louise Hegarty
‘I devoured Filly in a day’ Liz Berry
‘A perfectly formed sucker punch of a book’ Jan Carson
‘Filly is a testament to the savagery and exaltation of love’ Mary Morrissy
‘Raw and poetic, tender yet unflinching’ Louise Hegarty
‘I devoured Filly in a day’ Liz Berry
‘A perfectly formed sucker punch of a book’ Jan Carson
Reposted by Jack Smyth
A small fire at the front of the bookshop was started last night after rubbish bags that were awaiting collection were set on fire. The guards don’t have reason at this time to believe it was a targeted attack. Thankfully the damage was limited and everyone is safe. We are open for business as usual
October 6, 2025 at 12:33 PM
A small fire at the front of the bookshop was started last night after rubbish bags that were awaiting collection were set on fire. The guards don’t have reason at this time to believe it was a targeted attack. Thankfully the damage was limited and everyone is safe. We are open for business as usual
New illustration for the New Yorker, both online and in print.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
October 3, 2025 at 10:57 AM
New illustration for the New Yorker, both online and in print.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Reposted by Jack Smyth
Here are this month's book cover of note
Book Covers of Note, September 2025
Hey. I hope you're keeping safe and well. I'm posting this late on the last day of the month, but hopefully it was worth waiting for. I will let you get to the covers posthaste, but before I go, today (September 30th) is also Orange Shirt Day and National Day for Truth and Reconciliation in Canada, so I would like take a moment to acknowledge and remember the survivors of residential schools, their families and the kids who didn't come home.
www.casualoptimist.com
September 30, 2025 at 8:41 PM
Here are this month's book cover of note
Mary Robinson is such a baller.
September 12, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Mary Robinson is such a baller.
Reposted by Jack Smyth
ICYMI last week, here's the most recent book covers of note post:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/08...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/08...
Book Covers of Note, August 2025
Hey. Here are this month’s book covers of note. Archipelago by Natalie Bakopoulos; design by Beth Steidle (Tin House Books / August 2025) I really had to wrack my brain to think of what this …
www.casualoptimist.com
September 2, 2025 at 12:48 PM
ICYMI last week, here's the most recent book covers of note post:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/08...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/08...
Reposted by Jack Smyth
I don't have lots to say this month, but there are lots of great book covers all the same...
Here are this month's book cover selections!
Book Covers of Note, August 2025
Hey. Here are this month's book covers of note. Archipelago by Natalie Bakopoulos; design by Beth Steidle (Tin House Books / August 2025) I really had to wrack my brain to think of what this reminded me of. It was this Jaya Miceli cover for Archetype by M.D. Waters from June 2014!
www.casualoptimist.com
August 28, 2025 at 7:57 PM
I don't have lots to say this month, but there are lots of great book covers all the same...
Reissue cover for Dave Randal's Sound System, out now on @plutopress.bsky.social
Art Direction by Melanie Patrick.
Art Direction by Melanie Patrick.
August 27, 2025 at 11:12 AM
Reissue cover for Dave Randal's Sound System, out now on @plutopress.bsky.social
Art Direction by Melanie Patrick.
Art Direction by Melanie Patrick.
Cover for Swallows by Natsuo Kirino, out now on Canongate.
Art Director: Rafi Romaya
Art Director: Rafi Romaya
August 27, 2025 at 9:38 AM
Cover for Swallows by Natsuo Kirino, out now on Canongate.
Art Director: Rafi Romaya
Art Director: Rafi Romaya
Reposted by Jack Smyth
-a genuine exploration of aging, masculinity, and the slow erosion of certainty.
Out this September, Injury Time is available to pre-order from the Lilliput website now 📚
Cover design by the incredible @jackflag.bsky.social ✨️
Available to pre-order here: www.lilliputpress.ie/products/inj...
Out this September, Injury Time is available to pre-order from the Lilliput website now 📚
Cover design by the incredible @jackflag.bsky.social ✨️
Available to pre-order here: www.lilliputpress.ie/products/inj...
Injury Time by Kevin Smith - The Lilliput Press
In this sharp-eyed comedy of memories, middle age and long-buried mistakes, a privileged entrepreneur feels the chill winds of post-Brexit change in a society struggling to account for its past.
www.lilliputpress.ie
August 5, 2025 at 8:27 AM
-a genuine exploration of aging, masculinity, and the slow erosion of certainty.
Out this September, Injury Time is available to pre-order from the Lilliput website now 📚
Cover design by the incredible @jackflag.bsky.social ✨️
Available to pre-order here: www.lilliputpress.ie/products/inj...
Out this September, Injury Time is available to pre-order from the Lilliput website now 📚
Cover design by the incredible @jackflag.bsky.social ✨️
Available to pre-order here: www.lilliputpress.ie/products/inj...
Illustration for Adam Gopnik's piece 'Was the Renaissance Real?' in The New Yorker this week.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
July 31, 2025 at 12:05 PM
Illustration for Adam Gopnik's piece 'Was the Renaissance Real?' in The New Yorker this week.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.
Thanks Dan!
ICYMI, here's this month's look at some new and recent book covers:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/07...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/07...
Book Covers of Note, July 2025
Somehow it is the end of July, and I am once again rushing to get this done. I think it’s a decent mix of covers this month though, with some big books, some indies, a few type-only covers, s…
www.casualoptimist.com
July 30, 2025 at 3:13 PM
Thanks Dan!
Reposted by Jack Smyth
And here are Zachary Petit's latest book cover picks for PRINT Magazine!
www.printmag.com/book-covers/...
www.printmag.com/book-covers/...
23 of the Best Book Covers of July 2025 – PRINT Magazine
Riffing with McSweeney's Sunra Thompson on the double cover for 'Mostly Everything: The Art of Tucker Nichols,' plus our favorite cover finds of the month.
www.printmag.com
July 30, 2025 at 2:52 PM
And here are Zachary Petit's latest book cover picks for PRINT Magazine!
www.printmag.com/book-covers/...
www.printmag.com/book-covers/...
It's absolutely wild to me that Stanley Tucci has yet to release his own brand of cantucci.
I'd love to pick up a bag of Stantuccis the next time I'm in Italy.
I'd love to pick up a bag of Stantuccis the next time I'm in Italy.
July 25, 2025 at 8:51 AM
It's absolutely wild to me that Stanley Tucci has yet to release his own brand of cantucci.
I'd love to pick up a bag of Stantuccis the next time I'm in Italy.
I'd love to pick up a bag of Stantuccis the next time I'm in Italy.
Reposted by Jack Smyth
First look: the gorgeous cover of FILLY, Rosamund Taylor's stunning novel-in-verse, coming from Banshee Press in October 2025. Cover photography by Oana Stoian, with design by Jack Smyth ✨
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social
July 23, 2025 at 12:03 PM
First look: the gorgeous cover of FILLY, Rosamund Taylor's stunning novel-in-verse, coming from Banshee Press in October 2025. Cover photography by Oana Stoian, with design by Jack Smyth ✨
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social
@rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social
Surely Andor is a show about people who can't make up their minds. In space.
July 10, 2025 at 8:14 AM
Surely Andor is a show about people who can't make up their minds. In space.
Cover design for Harbour Doubts by Bebe Ashley, publishing today via @bansheepress.bsky.social
July 3, 2025 at 11:03 AM
Cover design for Harbour Doubts by Bebe Ashley, publishing today via @bansheepress.bsky.social
Love hearing the US acts say "Hello Glaston Berry!" every year.
June 30, 2025 at 8:03 AM
Love hearing the US acts say "Hello Glaston Berry!" every year.
Reposted by Jack Smyth
ICYMI, here's my latest round-up of new and recent book covers and design trends:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
Book Covers of Note, June 2025
It’s been another busy month here, so apologies for the slightly scattered post. It includes a few covers that I missed earlier in early in the year, and a few other bits and pieces. I hope e…
www.casualoptimist.com
June 27, 2025 at 1:44 PM
ICYMI, here's my latest round-up of new and recent book covers and design trends:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
Reposted by Jack Smyth
Here are this month's book covers of note!
Book Covers of Note, June 2025
It's been another busy month here, so apologies for the slightly scattered post. It includes a few covers that I missed earlier in early in the year, and a few other bits and pieces. I hope everyone is doing OK. Here are the covers... Audition by Pip Adam; cover art by Leopold Adi Surya (Coffee House Press / June 2025)
www.casualoptimist.com
June 26, 2025 at 1:34 PM
Here are this month's book covers of note!
Cover for Monaghan (mo-na-han for the non-Gaels out there) by Timothy O'Grady, out today.
The second image shows some process work, where I made some ink prints with a roller from a cutout of my brother's silhouette from a photograph.
The second image shows some process work, where I made some ink prints with a roller from a cutout of my brother's silhouette from a photograph.
June 19, 2025 at 11:24 AM
Cover for Monaghan (mo-na-han for the non-Gaels out there) by Timothy O'Grady, out today.
The second image shows some process work, where I made some ink prints with a roller from a cutout of my brother's silhouette from a photograph.
The second image shows some process work, where I made some ink prints with a roller from a cutout of my brother's silhouette from a photograph.
Cover Design for The Slip, by Lucas Schaefer.
Published today by Simon & Schuster.
Art Direction by Jackie Seow.
Published today by Simon & Schuster.
Art Direction by Jackie Seow.
June 3, 2025 at 11:27 AM
Cover Design for The Slip, by Lucas Schaefer.
Published today by Simon & Schuster.
Art Direction by Jackie Seow.
Published today by Simon & Schuster.
Art Direction by Jackie Seow.