The Semiotics of Covers :: Books Reading Essays

The Semiotics of Covers Im going to buy a book today - but not a school book, a real book - a bestseller. I walk past the m kayoedh organ man standing outside of the Brown Office Building, clamping my ears shut against the disharmonious melodies hes spewing out at me. I enter the Brown Bookstore - my Mecca, my Graceland. I strut past the tables near the door and walk toward the bestseller wall, my being allthewhile bombarded by hardcovers seeking my wandering eyes. Howard Stern in drag screams out at me from the left, something about Colin Powell and a journey crys out from the right. Wishing not to be manipulated into buying an expensive book, I squint my eyes and keep on walking, eventually r to each oneing the ordering counter. I pause, close my eyes and wind around. As my eyes slowly open, my field of vision becomes filled with paperbacks. Hundreds of them, displayed out before me like some crude mosaic, each one line up and facing me on tiny little shelves. Theyre all about the same size, all the same shape - the only thing that differs is their covers. apiece book is showing me a different picture, a different color, a different font. Each book juxtaposes its elements in a different way, bring out certain objects while de-emphasizing others. Each book is telling me something, trying to arouse to my gaze. What are they saying? Will it work? The study of these elements of the cover - each books signs and the images/ideas they signify- is particularly appropriate in the case of bestsellers. This is not to say that the covers of bestsellers pick up a monopoly on sign/signifier possibilities - nothing could be further from the truth - its just that in the case of bestsellers, the effect these signs and signifiers have on the aura of a book are just more interesting. evidence of this all but surrounds us. Take a look at intimately any other section in the brown bookstore well-nigh all books, with the exception of bestsellers and the very new releases, are presented on shelves with their book binding pointing out. The only thing one can sincerely ascertain when gazing upon these books is the backing and color on the cover. Such elements are important, but dont grab the eye. Unless youre facial expression for a specific title or author, what you see on these shelves doesnt really effect ones eyes.