Under Cover

With instant access to creative digital modes of expression, literary cover art continues to evolve into innumerable aesthetic experiences that reveal mere hints at the story that unfurls on the pages beneath. Taking into account typography, color, graphics, and symbolic imagery, one could easily be teased by a few words read quickly within, but ultimately, the book cover dictates that first visceral reaction causing the initial grab and gobble of wild wordly wisdom. 

 Can you judge a book by its cover? 

My initial reaction would be no. That small visual spark of the story is somewhat irrelevant and forgotten after the first page is turned. What would seem ever more vital are the lessons learned through pages of devoted devouring over time, all the way to the very last epiphany on the final page where your eyes are seeing beyond the tangible remnants of flying pages, and into another world.  

However, it could be argued that what gets us to journey to that deep, burning, enlightened moment of climax to fruition of our new favorite novel is not the words or pages...but the external encasement that magnetically pulls you to pick it up. Surely, if the book were to remain dusty and lonesome on the shelf because of a bland, dowdy, disharmony of design...the fingers will never grasp the plump biblio-flesh, grope the kinetic words, and ignite the savory spark of learning. The embers will just burn out. And the hands and mind of an eager reader will touch something that earned their eye, and then their heart. Meanwhile, the masterpiece may remain on the shelf, under cover, and waiting for one brave enough to feel beyond the surface story. Until a new book-jacket graces the slender spine, making it visually accessible to all.