Every bookshop shelf tells the same visual story now. Romance, fantasy, literary fiction: the covers blur into one another, shaped by algorithms, stock imagery, and the tyranny of the thumbnail.

Where have all the torsos gone? The photorealistic “clinch cover,” featuring lovers mid-embrace, is a critically endangered species. Fabio? Hasn’t been seen around these parts in years. But he hasn’t ...

Take a genteel painting, maybe featuring a swooning woman. Add iridescent neon type for a shock to the system. And thank (or blame) Ottessa Moshfegh for getting there early. Clockwise from top left: ...

A Book Review art director selects the book jackets that surprised him, delighted him and stayed with him this year. A Book Review art director selects the book jackets that surprised him, delighted ...

This is read by an automated voice. Please report any issues or inconsistencies here. Book covers are increasingly featuring childlike sketches, doodles and crayon marks — a “naive design” trend that ...

Readers with a keen eye for book cover design are likely to associate uniform jacket schemes primarily with boutique literary publishers—among them Archipelago Books, Fitzcarraldo Editions, McNally ...