Sometimes, we do judge books by their covers. Some of the greatest reads hide behind torn paperbacks and creased pages, but this piece celebrates the other side - when design and print come together to make books as visually striking as they are informative.
Print design is an art in itself. Whether a book ends up in a pile by the bed or carefully curated on a coffee table, there’s no shortage of bold, minimal, or classic designs that elevate the reading experience. The cover and format set the stage for the words inside, making the act of picking up a book feel even more rewarding.
In a design world dominated by change, AI, and constant digital noise, there’s something grounding about a well-crafted physical object - something you can hold, turn over in your hands, and spend time with.
AIGA, the professional association for design, has been celebrating this for over a century through its annual book cover competition, 50 Books, 50 Covers.
From Laura Coombs’ vibrant work with Mindy Seu to Parks by Order, the competition reminds us that book design continues to be a cornerstone of visual culture and a lasting format for designers everywhere.
For me, books were an early playground. When I was starting out in design, book covers and posters were where I tested ideas - experimenting with imagery, form, and typography. Much of that early exploration still influences my style today.
And despite the dominance of digital, books remain central to brand strategies. Something Special Studios recently released 95 with Nike, a photo project uniting four photographers to explore how the Air Max 95 lives in different cities. POLAROIDS by Places+Faces collects nine years of images documenting their world. And A24’s Screenplay Collection with Actual Source presents not just original scripts from films like The Lighthouse, Lady Bird, and Moonlight, but also essays, behind-the-scenes material, and unexpected perspectives on cinema.
In an age where content is mostly consumed on screens, these projects remind us that print is still powerful - not just as a vessel for stories, but as an object that shapes how we engage with them.
Whether you’re a reader, podcast listener, or YouTube watcher, if you care about design, books remain one of the most meaningful ways to experience it.
They ask you to slow down, notice the details, and engage with something tactile and lasting.
In a world that often feels fleeting and screen-led, a book offers permanence - an object you can hold onto, revisit, and live with over time.
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