It's also striking because it really stands out from the books many previous covers, almost all of which are quite boring, and not at all representative of the book's wilfully obscurantist playfulness. For the most part they tend to be either plain text, or to just have a picture of Joyce stuck on there.
That is a lovely and suitable design. I also like Penguin's Celtic art cover, three from the bottom, but I agree that several of the others are fairly run of the mill. My copy is the third one down, with a cover photo by Dan Rooms.
ReplyDeleteI have the second image, the first Penguin, but it's the one with silver spine and back, rather than the newer white (still the same cover art though). I like that one because it matches the Ulysses one and it sort of matches the theme of Finnegans Wake, with the beginning of the text and the end printed on the cover.
ReplyDeleteBeyond stoked for this, thanks for the heads up.
ReplyDeleteCheers, all: Stan, I think that Celtic design is pretty nice, too. The version I have is the same as Matthew's, to match my 'Ulysses', and they are nicely done, with the opening and closing words of the books. Brakhage, I'm pleased to have helped!
ReplyDeleteI like the Vintage Classics cover too, the Picasso line. But this new one is the best.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! I like this new newsletter. Thanks so much for creating it. Please keep us updated.
ReplyDeleteThe new Penguin cover is brilliant--A collideorscape! And its suggestive of Joyce's 'sigla', too. Great for the masses that Penguin is bringing out the newly restored text for the trade, but this edition doesn't hold a candle to the original Houyhnhnm Press edition on which its based. If you want a really fine Wake, check this out: http://www.houyhnhnmpress.com/
ReplyDeleteThat looks very nice, Anastasia... I need more money!
ReplyDelete