The Casual Optimist
@casualoptimist.bsky.social
www.casualoptimist.com
Dick Cheney Shot Me in the Face and Other Tales of Men in Pain by Timothy O’Leary; design by David A. Gee (Unsolicited Press / February 2017)
November 4, 2025 at 12:20 PM
Dick Cheney Shot Me in the Face and Other Tales of Men in Pain by Timothy O’Leary; design by David A. Gee (Unsolicited Press / February 2017)
I missed @gray318.bsky.social's cover design (photo by Inez & Vinoodh) for Dead and Alive by Zadie Smith in October's round-up, and it's a reminder that I miss a lot of covers every month. If I've overlooked some of the work you're proud of this year, drop me a note!
October 31, 2025 at 3:51 PM
I missed @gray318.bsky.social's cover design (photo by Inez & Vinoodh) for Dead and Alive by Zadie Smith in October's round-up, and it's a reminder that I miss a lot of covers every month. If I've overlooked some of the work you're proud of this year, drop me a note!
It was in my Book Covers of Note post from November 2017:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2017/11... World Goes On by László Krasznahorkai; design by Paul Sahre (New Directions / November 2017)
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2017/11... World Goes On by László Krasznahorkai; design by Paul Sahre (New Directions / November 2017)
October 9, 2025 at 3:35 PM
It was in my Book Covers of Note post from November 2017:
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2017/11... World Goes On by László Krasznahorkai; design by Paul Sahre (New Directions / November 2017)
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2017/11... World Goes On by László Krasznahorkai; design by Paul Sahre (New Directions / November 2017)
László Krasznahorkai covers by the Office of Paul Sahre for @ndbooks.bsky.social
October 9, 2025 at 2:51 PM
László Krasznahorkai covers by the Office of Paul Sahre for @ndbooks.bsky.social
I like the cover of Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde designed by Lauren Peters-Collaer with art by Affen Oluwasegun a lot. I couldn't find the credit in time for my July post!
July 30, 2025 at 2:30 PM
I like the cover of Necessary Fiction by Eloghosa Osunde designed by Lauren Peters-Collaer with art by Affen Oluwasegun a lot. I couldn't find the credit in time for my July post!
This month's post has now been updated to include additional credit info for the cover of Valencia by Michelle Tea designed by Megan Grace ( @profilebooks.bsky.social / June 2025). The photo is from Chloe Sherman's series Renegades: San Francisco, the 1990s
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
June 30, 2025 at 5:34 PM
This month's post has now been updated to include additional credit info for the cover of Valencia by Michelle Tea designed by Megan Grace ( @profilebooks.bsky.social / June 2025). The photo is from Chloe Sherman's series Renegades: San Francisco, the 1990s
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...
Can any of my UK-based pals tell me who designed the cover of Bad Friend by Tiffany Watt Smith, out later this month from @faberbooks.bsky.social please?
April 21, 2025 at 6:00 PM
Can any of my UK-based pals tell me who designed the cover of Bad Friend by Tiffany Watt Smith, out later this month from @faberbooks.bsky.social please?
This is a really great profile of designer and art director Rodrigo Corral by Zachary Petit for Fast Company:
archive.today/2025.04.09-1...
archive.today/2025.04.09-1...
April 11, 2025 at 1:40 PM
This is a really great profile of designer and art director Rodrigo Corral by Zachary Petit for Fast Company:
archive.today/2025.04.09-1...
archive.today/2025.04.09-1...
This month's post has been updated to include this photo of the black sprayed edges on the paperback edition Goth: A History designed Timothy O'Donnell
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/03...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/03...
March 31, 2025 at 3:30 PM
This month's post has been updated to include this photo of the black sprayed edges on the paperback edition Goth: A History designed Timothy O'Donnell
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/03...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/03...
I hadn't see this one by Frances DiGiovanni and Rodrigo Corral for Barbara by Joni Murphy. It's very cool
March 28, 2025 at 6:54 PM
I hadn't see this one by Frances DiGiovanni and Rodrigo Corral for Barbara by Joni Murphy. It's very cool
Just FYI, an earlier version of this month's post misattributed the brilliant Amitava Kumar covers to John Gall. They were in fact designed by @tometherington.bsky.social. Apologies all.
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/02...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/02...
February 25, 2025 at 6:57 PM
Just FYI, an earlier version of this month's post misattributed the brilliant Amitava Kumar covers to John Gall. They were in fact designed by @tometherington.bsky.social. Apologies all.
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/02...
www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/02...
I like the simplicity of this cover for Lion by Sonya Walger. Can anyone tell me who designed it? @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social?
February 7, 2025 at 6:24 PM
I like the simplicity of this cover for Lion by Sonya Walger. Can anyone tell me who designed it? @nyrb-imprints.bsky.social?
It's a bit too late to post these to the blog since the book was released last year, but it's neat the UK and US editions of Scaffolding by Lauren Elkins both use different art by the same artist, Shannon Lucy Cartier.
January 10, 2025 at 6:19 PM
It's a bit too late to post these to the blog since the book was released last year, but it's neat the UK and US editions of Scaffolding by Lauren Elkins both use different art by the same artist, Shannon Lucy Cartier.
I also really liked the cover of To The Bone by Alena Bruzas, designed by Kristie Radwilowicz with art by Adam Parata:
January 6, 2025 at 1:36 PM
I also really liked the cover of To The Bone by Alena Bruzas, designed by Kristie Radwilowicz with art by Adam Parata:
A couple of my favourite covers featured illustrations by Turkish artist Aykut Aydoğdu
January 6, 2025 at 1:34 PM
A couple of my favourite covers featured illustrations by Turkish artist Aykut Aydoğdu
I don't think Brandon is here, but his end of year list is one of my favourites:
www.seekandspeak.com/notable-film...
www.seekandspeak.com/notable-film...
December 19, 2024 at 1:51 AM
I don't think Brandon is here, but his end of year list is one of my favourites:
www.seekandspeak.com/notable-film...
www.seekandspeak.com/notable-film...
American Thanksgiving feels like an excuse to post one of my favourite covers of 2012(!). Design by Alison Forner.
November 28, 2024 at 8:48 PM
American Thanksgiving feels like an excuse to post one of my favourite covers of 2012(!). Design by Alison Forner.