Wednesday, 5 January 2011

Black Dogs

A newish book (out for a bit in the UK/Australia, still to come in the US) I intend to read once I've worked my way through some more of the teetering piles already filling the house is Rebecca Hunt's Mr. Chartwell, which puts the "black dog" of depression into semi-solid form, and has him haunting a number of people, including Winston Churchill (who first coined the phrase). It sounds like the sort of book which could be really good or really bad, but all the reviews I've read suggest Hunt has pulled it off. The cover I had seen so far, for the UK version, is OK...



..but today I saw the imminent US cover (Dial Press), which I really, really like.

 
Designer unknown.

For some reason--the groovy old wallpaper?--it reminds me of the Back Bay Books covers for Evelyn Waugh's books in the US.

Illustrations by Bill Brown, design by Rymn Massand
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9 comments:

  1. Levi Stahl5 January 2011 at 18:54

    The Waugh covers were what came to mind for me, too. That's a sharp design.

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  2. Chicago cleaning service5 January 2011 at 20:51

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  3. Pete6 January 2011 at 10:57

    Oh yes, that excellent UK version is far superior to the US. The metaphor of the black dog of depression handing you your hat (that is, send you away, dominating you) is quite sharp.

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  4. John Self6 January 2011 at 14:00

    I don't know if you've seen the UK version in the flesh (or paper), but the black cloud is glossy and the whole finish is very nice, so it looks a lot better than it does on a flat screen image...

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  5. Allan Lorde8 January 2011 at 01:53

    Cool post, but I'm pretty sure you've got the credits switched. Bill Brown handled the illustrations. Here's his Art Department portfolio: http://www.art-dept.com/illustration/brown/index.html

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  6. JRSM8 January 2011 at 14:28

    John: That would definitely help--the version I saw was a proof, with an un-fancy cover.

    Allan: You're completely right--I'll fix the post. Thank you!

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  7. Allan Lorde18 January 2011 at 01:43

    No prob, sir! Happy to help out.

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  8. HENRY FRY19 January 2011 at 12:51

    I was really excited about the idea that the physical black dog rents a room in the house of (i think) Churchill's secretary (or member of his cabinet). But, conversely, I read a review that Hunt doesn't quite go as far with her concept as one might initially expect. So, who knows. I am still intrigued enough to read it some time soon. By the way, i love your blog. And (in unashamed self-advertising) there's a few Orwell covers by OBEY over on my page as well as some SUPREME Milan Kundera ones which you might like.
    Keep up the caustic critiquing.

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  9. JRSM19 January 2011 at 13:33

    Thank you Henry. Those Orwells and Kunderas are lovely.

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