The old “don’t judge a book by its cover” adage is about to get debunked thanks to a new project from the preeminent publishing house Faber & Faber. The London-based book behemoth has just launched Faber Editions, a curated list of books from their 90-year-old archive, each one accompanied by a reimagined cover and a fresh new forward by a modern-day luminary.
“With the Faber Editions list, we wanted to create a thrilling, inclusive space to celebrate radical literary voices from history which speak not only to our present, but our future,” said the list’s editor, Ella Griffiths, announcing the new series. Editions will be released quarterly, with the first fresh off the presses: cult classic Mrs. Caliban (1982) by Rachel Ingalls. This deliciously twisted love story between a housewife and a frogman features an introduction from Irenosen Okojie and a sultry new cover by Faber designer Pete Adlington.
“Our mandate for Faber Editions was to create a bold and diverse series style that matched the subversiveness and eclecticism of the list,” says Adlington. While the design team wanted to breathe new life into these titles with fresh graphic styles and typography, it was critical that they still maintain faithful to Faber’s storied design heritage.
As such, the collection’s overarching branding pays homage to the original Faber Paper Covered Editions strip from the 1950s designed by Berthold Wolpe. The cover designs will also use a limited color palette emphasizing head-turning typography to establish visual cohesion across the collection, even as a host of designers contribute.
The upcoming releases coming down the pike will be Palace of the Peacock (1960) by Wilson Harris in November, followed by Kay Dick's They (1977) in February 2022. With future titles to be announced this coming fall, you’ll want to begin purging your current library to make room on your bookshelves now.