City of Sound is about cities, design, architecture, music, media, politics and more. Written by Dan Hill since 2001.

Penguins

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1984d

Inspired by Ace Jet 170’s pictures of his Pelicans (1, 2, 3), here are a few of my favourite Penguins. I too have some choice Pelicans, but can’t begin to approach the completeness of Mr Ace Jet. So this is a personal selection of Penguins, pilfered from the large orange-spined pile on my shelves (organised by colour of course), illustrating either an approach to a title, a set, an aesthetic, or just a great individual cover. Enjoy.

First up, a few editions of ‘1984’ I’ve collected over the years. Note: the above cover is close to, but not exactly the same as, the following:

1984a

1984b

1984c

1984e

1984f

While we’re with Orwell, two editions of ‘Down and Out in Paris and London’:

Downandoutb

Downandouta

I really like these idiosyncratic Evelyn Waugh editions:

Ahandfulofdust

Helena

Putoutmoreflags

Scoop

Vilebodies

And this series of wartime stories by Waugh, too, featuring illustrations by Quentin Blake:

Menatarms

Officersandgentlemen

Unconditionalsurrender

A couple of nice JG Ballard covers for ‘The Terminal Beach’ and ‘The Wind From Nowhere’:

Theterminalbeach

Thewindfromnowhere

And finally, a selection of favourite individual covers: a ‘Brave New World’, Muriel Spark’s ‘Memento Mori’, Updike’s ‘Rabbit, Run’ and from the Penguin Crime series, ‘The Hammersmith Maggot’.

Bravenewworld

Mementomori

Rabbitrun_2

Thehammersmithmaggot

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12 responses to “Penguins”

  1. Gordon Ross Avatar

    I do hope that one Penguin in your collection is a copy of the brilliant design history book, Penguin by Design. A visual treat and a wonderful explanation of the 70 year evolution of style at Penguin.

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  2. andrew Avatar
    andrew

    Is that a Joseph Stella painting as the cover of the last “1984” above? Hmm, or is that an early O’Keeffe? Either way, seems pretty wrong for the book.

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  3. Ben Avatar

    Tough brief – designing a cover for 1984. And although all those covers have their merits it’s the simple orange and white one that’s the best, isn’t it?

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  4. Owen Avatar

    Is that a Joseph Stella painting as the cover of the last “1984” above? Hmm, or is that an early O’Keeffe? Either way, seems pretty wrong for the book
    Neither: it’s a painting of New York by the English Futurist CRW Nevinson, which to me seemed rather appropriate.

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  5. Charles Frith Avatar

    Lovely. A few of those are in my collection. Packed in boxes somewhere.

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  6. Richard Avatar

    Really like the Marber Grid Scary Eye 1984 cover and remember copying the one that follows (megaphone) in chalk pastels when I was a school.
    Love/want those Quentin Blake beauties.
    Also, see Pengiun by Designers as well (different, though connected book to Penguin by Design):
    http://acejet170.typepad.com/foundthings/2007/04/penguin_by_desi.html

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  7. John C Avatar

    That Ballard run was by designer David Pelham who also created the great cover for A Clockwork Orange that was in use over several editions. And you should hold on to copies of The Wind From Nowhere; Ballard has always hated that book (it’s never listed in his “by the same author”) and it’s not been reprinted for years. My copy has a typically groovy illustration by Alan Aldridge.
    Some odd choices for 1984; that first one looks more like an illustration for a feature about office life in a broadsheet newspaper. The current Penguin version isn’t much improved, a moody picture of chairs and a table.

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  8. john z Avatar
    john z

    my parents had a few of those first five waughs . . . loved them then, love them now.

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  9. Richard Avatar

    Happy days! Picked up a copy of that Men at Arms with the Quentin Blake cover over the weekend.

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  10. Michael Avatar

    There is an ace Flickr group chock full of Penguins (and Pelicans and Puffins, not sure about Peregines though)… http://flickr.com/groups/penguinpaperbackspotters/

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  11. Richard Avatar

    A lunchtime Penguin finding trip to the bookshop-amongst-the-sex-shops in Belfast results in a bag full of Flickr fodder, including that Unconditional Surrender!

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  12. BPMN,Australia Avatar

    Found blog.., i like it. thank you….

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