posted on 27 Dec 2015

The Book Cover In The Weimar Republic edited by Jurgen Holstein

This is a BIG book - both its physical size and its scope is pretty daunting. However, it would take more than size to stop me buying a book that photographs and catalogues book jackets and designs. I just love these things - for book lovers it's a kind of narcotic I think. I just can't get enough.

I'm prepared to accept that this one is a bit esoteric and might not appeal to everyone. German book jackets from the period 1919 - 1933 taken from the Jurgen & Waltraud Holstein Collection might not set pulses racing but there are over a thousand examples here culled from 250 Berlin-based publishers. They document a period before the rise of Hitler changed everything forever in terms of the world of publishing in Germany and represent that country's brief engagement with European Modernism.

There's a very good and not overlong introduction to this period in book design that sets the historical and political context very vividly. Each of the books selected has its own description that goes beyond the physical characteristics and locates it in its design heritage and the selection covers paperbacks as well as hardcover. This collection is published by Taschen in duel language - they are real specialists in this kind of book - and doesn't come cheaply (£44.00) - but if like me you're hooked on this stuff you'll love it.

Terry Potter

December 2015