Thursday, May 8, 2008

Carol Devine Carson and Barbara Walters



To a performer, the word "audition" is one of the most powerful, hopeful, and scary words. As Barbara's golden name rises like a curtain above it, I get a sense of tension, like the intake of breath right before something big is about to happen. Of course, Barbara's name is powerful in its own right. I'm just glad there isn't a photo on this cover.

I immediately remembered Gore Vidal's Lincoln cover, from the early 80s. Some words are just so evocative, they speak louder without an image to back them up. Lincoln was a big, fat paperback with a creamy, glossy cover. I never read it, but it looked so yummy dripping from the bookshelf when I was a kid.

8 comments:

Gould said...

I would have preferred a photo rather than this anonymous design. There's a great one in this month issue of Vanity Fair, taken in the late 70's where Walters sits on a desk. She looks gorgeous, powerful and botox free ;-)

Gould said...

Two notable covers :

One by the guy (unjustly) crucified by Oprah :
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41EA7uCOizL._SS500_.jpg

One by a guy who used to write good books (Fight Club) :
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41DqigbsG0L._SS500_.jpg

Tal said...

Gould, Snuff is already on the blog. But thanks!

Anonymous said...

Sorry. Can you point out the entry ? Could not find it.

Anonymous said...

Got it. Febuary post.

Anonymous said...

I love Tal. He's the best book designer in the city. If I was going to write a book I would definately have Tal do my book cover.

Anonymous said...

and he would correct my spelling too....definitely not definately.

Tal said...

somebody loves me! That's awesome! I think her name starts with an "L".