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Cover Designs for Murakami by John Gall and Chip Kidd
May 01, 2008
Aside from some of the earlier American translations (such as Dance, Dance, Dance and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World), often Chip Kidd designs the jacket for the hardcover Knopf edition, and John Gall follows up roughly a year later with the Vintage paperback design. In contrast with some other books that undergo a repackaging for the paperback, I find that Gall’s designs usually complement Kidd’s hardcover original—and manage to keep all the designs reminiscent of the same family.
After Dark, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2007), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2008)
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2006), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2007)
Kafka on the Shore, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2002), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2003)
South of the Border, West of the Sun, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (1999), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2000)
The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd, with illustration overlay by Chris Ware (1997), paperback on right designed by John Gall (1998)
The Elephant Vanishes, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (1993), paperback on right designed by John Gall (1994) (The Elephant Vanishes was Chip Kidd’s first jacket design for a Haruki Murakami title)
There are numerous fan sites for Haruki Murakami with a wealth of information and images. One good example is Exorcising-Ghosts. On Murakami’s Random House site, there is a really interesting interview with both Chip Kidd and John Gall in regards to designing covers for Murakami. And for the real enthusiasts, a book was just published this past month titled Wild Haruki Chase: Reading Murakami Around the World.
Link: more on Japanese author Haruki Murakami
May 01, 2008
UPDATE: May 13, 2008
Interview with John Gall for Barnes and Noble’s new mini-documentary series “Cover Story.” (he talks briefly about reading Haruki Murakami’s Wind-up Bird Chronicle)
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Towards the end of high school I read very few books for fun. It wasn’t until a friend introduced the writings of Haruki Murakami to me in 2001, that my love for reading was renewed. John Gall and Chip Kidd may have been the first book jacket designers I took special notice to. I was reminded of all this again when I saw John Gall’s design for the paperback reprint of Haruki Murakami’s novel After Dark.
Aside from some of the earlier American translations (such as Dance, Dance, Dance and Hard-Boiled Wonderland and the End of the World), often Chip Kidd designs the jacket for the hardcover Knopf edition, and John Gall follows up roughly a year later with the Vintage paperback design. In contrast with some other books that undergo a repackaging for the paperback, I find that Gall’s designs usually complement Kidd’s hardcover original—and manage to keep all the designs reminiscent of the same family.
After Dark, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2007), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2008)
Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2006), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2007)
Kafka on the Shore, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (2002), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2003)
South of the Border, West of the Sun, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (1999), paperback on right designed by John Gall (2000)
The Wind Up Bird Chronicle, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd, with illustration overlay by Chris Ware (1997), paperback on right designed by John Gall (1998)
The Elephant Vanishes, hardcover on the left designed by Chip Kidd (1993), paperback on right designed by John Gall (1994) (The Elephant Vanishes was Chip Kidd’s first jacket design for a Haruki Murakami title)
There are numerous fan sites for Haruki Murakami with a wealth of information and images. One good example is Exorcising-Ghosts. On Murakami’s Random House site, there is a really interesting interview with both Chip Kidd and John Gall in regards to designing covers for Murakami. And for the real enthusiasts, a book was just published this past month titled Wild Haruki Chase: Reading Murakami Around the World.
Link: more on Japanese author Haruki Murakami
Tags: book covers, fiction, haruki murakami, paperback
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