@jackflag.bsky.social's cover for Claire-Lise Kieffer's Tenterhooks was also cited by Jack's fellow designers as one of the best covers of the year in @literaryhub.bsky.social 🫴 lithub.com/the-173-best... (2/3)

Some lovely press this week – first up, @jackflag.bsky.social's cover for @bebeashley.bsky.social's Harbour Doubts was listed as a best book cover of 2025 by @nytimes.com 🧡 www.nytimes.com/2025/12/14/b... (1/3)

Mark Sinclair weighs in on AI vs the actual real work of design, and chooses his favourite book covers of 2025 for Creative Review: www.creativereview.co.uk/the-best-boo...

Thanks Dan!

Here are this month's book covers of note...

The worst take.

Opens tomorrow!

Happy publication day to FILLY by @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social 🐎 ‘Filly is a testament to the savagery and exaltation of love’ Mary Morrissy ‘Raw and poetic, tender yet unflinching’ Louise Hegarty ‘I devoured Filly in a day’ Liz Berry ‘A perfectly formed sucker punch of a book’ Jan Carson

A small fire at the front of the bookshop was started last night after rubbish bags that were awaiting collection were set on fire. The guards don’t have reason at this time to believe it was a targeted attack. Thankfully the damage was limited and everyone is safe. We are open for business as usual

New illustration for the New Yorker, both online and in print. Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.

Here are this month's book cover of note

Mary Robinson is such a baller.

ICYMI last week, here's the most recent book covers of note post: www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/08...

I don't have lots to say this month, but there are lots of great book covers all the same...

Reissue cover for Dave Randal's Sound System, out now on @plutopress.bsky.social Art Direction by Melanie Patrick.

Cover for Swallows by Natsuo Kirino, out now on Canongate. Art Director: Rafi Romaya

-a genuine exploration of aging, masculinity, and the slow erosion of certainty. Out this September, Injury Time is available to pre-order from the Lilliput website now 📚 Cover design by the incredible @jackflag.bsky.social ✨️ Available to pre-order here: www.lilliputpress.ie/products/inj...

Illustration for Adam Gopnik's piece 'Was the Renaissance Real?' in The New Yorker this week. Huge thanks to Art Director Supriya Kalidas.

Thanks Dan!

And here are Zachary Petit's latest book cover picks for PRINT Magazine! www.printmag.com/book-covers/...

It's absolutely wild to me that Stanley Tucci has yet to release his own brand of cantucci. I'd love to pick up a bag of Stantuccis the next time I'm in Italy.

First look: the gorgeous cover of FILLY, Rosamund Taylor's stunning novel-in-verse, coming from Banshee Press in October 2025. Cover photography by Oana Stoian, with design by Jack Smyth ✨ @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social @jackflag.bsky.social

Surely Andor is a show about people who can't make up their minds. In space.

Cover design for Harbour Doubts by Bebe Ashley, publishing today via @bansheepress.bsky.social

Love hearing the US acts say "Hello Glaston Berry!" every year.

ICYMI, here's my latest round-up of new and recent book covers and design trends: www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/06...

Here are this month's book covers of note!

Cover for Monaghan (mo-na-han for the non-Gaels out there) by Timothy O'Grady, out today. The second image shows some process work, where I made some ink prints with a roller from a cutout of my brother's silhouette from a photograph.

Cover Design for The Slip, by Lucas Schaefer. Published today by Simon & Schuster. Art Direction by Jackie Seow.

This month's book covers post is up on the @casualoptimist.bsky.social blog 🐿️ www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2025/05...

Book Covers of Note, May 2025

llustration for Katy Waldman's article on Colum McCann's new book Twist for The New Yorker. Art Direction by Supriya Kalidas. @newyorker.com

New, recent and forthcoming books from @lilliputpress.bsky.social - from Oona Frawley, Shane Tivenan, Andrew McNeillie (all May) & the late Denis Donoghue (coming in June)

Thanks Dan!

Here's this month's book covers of note

Totally forgotten I'd posted this back in 2020 right before the pandemic. Some absolute bangers here www.casualoptimist.com/blog/2020/01...

Thrilled (& a bit terrified!) that this will be out soon. Grateful to all @lilliputpress.bsky.social, to @brianlangan.bsky.social for all of the support & encouragement, and to @jackflag.bsky.social for the gorgeous cover. 🙏 @maynoothuniversity.ie @muahi.bsky.social @maynoothenglish.bsky.social

Illustration for The New Yorker article 'How to Survive the A.I. Revolution' by John Cassidy. Online now and in this week's print issue. Art Direction by Nicholas Blechman. @newyorker.com

FIRST LOOK: Harbour Doubts, the prizewinning second collection of poems by Bebe Ashley, out 03/07/25 ✨ @bebeashley.bsky.social 'Sinuous poems full of power' – Rosamund Taylor @rosamundtaylor.bsky.social Cover by Jack Smyth @jackflag.bsky.social bansheepress.org/shop/p/harbo...

This exhibition of the work of Evie Hone and Mainie Jellett sounds excellent and long overdue

Listen to Cover Meeting with Craig Oldham about his work, the industry and everything else in between. Listen here: linktr.ee/covermeeting

“I was stripped completely naked. “When I questioned the necessity for this I was told I would be forced violently if I didn’t comply and they didn’t want any trouble. “They looked inside my private area and touched all my sensitive parts.” www.irishtimes.com/politics/oir...

'Then Sylvie would have gone to sleep on the couch after finishing off the night like you finish off an animal at the end of its life...' From Claire Baglin's On the Clock, translated by Jordan Stump, out today from @dauntbookspub.bsky.social

A privilege of being at Daunt is getting to work with as talented designers as @jackflag.bsky.social - here is his latest for us, for Claire Baglin's ON THE CLOCK (tr Jordan Stump), which captures in a way I never could've imagined or briefed the spirit, ideas and texture of this novel:

Another great roundup from the Casual Optimist.

Cover design for On The Clock by Claire Baglin, translated by Jordan Stump, being published tomorrow by @dauntbookspub.bsky.social Huge thanks to @marigoldatkey.bsky.social for championing this design from the start!

Genuinely think we should just turn the internet off for a few years. We all need a bit of time away from the reality shredder.

Pertinent to highlight that they also owe monies to designers (me, for example) who have already completed work on their books due for publication this year.

Meanwhile – notes on book design and other hyperlinks. meanwhile.substack.com/p/theres-onl...

New episode with Sarah Wasley – the Production and Design Director at Granta Books. Listen here: linktr.ee/covermeeting