16 iconic book covers

We’ve all heard the saying, “Don’t judge a book by its cover,” but for these classic novels an eye-catching cover is essential to their legacy. Check out some of the most memorable dust jackets.

This famous cover was designed by Paul Bacon, who was known as the master of “Big Book Look.” He was rumored to have created as many as 11 different designs for Catch-22 before the blue-and-red jacket was approved.

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Salinger was very particular about his book covers, and the original dust jacket for his story about teen rebellion was illustrated by the author’s close friend E. Michael Mitchell. It depicts the novel’s last scene with an angry, red carousel horse.

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Since its release in 1925, there have been many different covers for Fitzgerald’s novel about decadence and decline, but none can compare to the original book jacket designed by Francis Cugat. Cugat came up with the cover art before Fitzgerald finished the book, and the imagery reportedly inspired a line referring to Daisy Buchanan as the “girl whose disembodied face floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs.”

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The cover of Lee’s first U.S. edition was published in 1960 and featured the now iconic dying tree. The original dust jacket also included a photo of the author on the rear panel taken by none other than Truman Capote.

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The journey of the boy who lived was first published in the U.K. in 1997. It wasn’t until ’98 that Rowling’s magical world arrived stateside as Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone with an unforgettable cover designed by American illustrator Mary GrandPré.

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Nick Gaetano is responsible for the 35th anniversary edition cover of Rand’s magnus opus about the destruction and creation of a new society. Gaetano, who is known for his Art Deco style, also recreated cover art for The Fountainhead, Anthem, and other Rand titles.

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Inspired by the Black Lives Matter movement, this book tells the story of Starr, a regular girl who is forced to deal with racism and police violence. It also sports one of the more iconic covers in recent years depicting the novel’s heroine. The bold artwork is the creation of artist Debra Cartwright, whose work focuses on “combating negative media tropes of black women.”

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There are tons of cute children’s books out there, but only a handful are considered classics, and such is the case for Brown’s timeless and beloved story. The “great green room” on the cover was illustrated by Clement Hurd and is as recognizable as the bunny’s lines inside the book’s pages.

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David Pelham’s 1972 cover for Burgess’ iconic novel featured the cog-eyed droog is regarded as one the best book covers of all time. Pelham’s creation may very well be the longest serving cover of all time — having remained in use for over 25 years.

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The striking original cover art from Ellison’s 1952 novel is the work of E. McKnight Kauffer. Naturally, it has been reimagined a couple of times throughout the years, including one design by Cardon Webb that was inspired by the author’s love of jazz music.

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Sendak’s 1963 children’s picture book about a mischievous boy name Max whose room is transformed into a forest after he is sent to bed without his supper is known as the “most distinguished American picture book for children.” The vivid illustrations — including the cover imagery of one of the wild things — really bring Sendek’s story of only 338 words to life. 

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Safran Foer’s debut novel was described by his team as “brilliant and very original,” and that’s exactly what book cover designer Jon Gray — a.k.a. gray318 — created. Taking inspiration from hand-lettering techniques, gray318 revived the style with his 2002 cover.

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Tolkien’s 1937 adventure about Bilbo Baggins remains one of the most well-known books in modern history. The original dust jacket of the book, featuring a mountain landscape, was designed by Tolkien himself.

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Rodrigo Corral is the creative mind behind the cover for James Frey’s problematic and controversial semi-fictional novel about a recovering addict. Inspired by some cupcakes he saw at a bakery in NYC, Corral wanted to imagine how addiciton would look like running “through the human body.” The cover has become one of the most recognizable in recent years.

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Updike’s novel about a man-child who is a former high school basketball star turned the author into one of the greatest novelist of his time. 

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Dunn’s legendary novel about a freaky family is a cult favorite. The book has developed a devout following and some writers even credit it for inverting “the cold adolescent truth that what makes you different curses you.” Although rather ugly, Jeffrey Fisher’s ’90s cover of Dunn’s masterpiece captures the book’s essence in a rather beautiful and direct style.

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