Whether you love to choose books to read based on their covers or not, it’s practically a universal truth that an amazing book cover makes reading a good book even better! And there are lots of amazing book covers out there.
So whether you just want to explore some iconic cover art or are looking for your next read, these books with famous book covers are definitely worth a look!
1. The Great Gatsby
The Great Gatsby is easily one of the most iconic book covers ever designed. This famous cover artwork was created by Francis Cugat for the first edition of the book in 1925, and it has stuck around ever since!
“Celestial Eyes,” as the artwork is called, is considered a masterpiece and always has been…so much so that Fitzgerald was so struck by the artwork that he even wrote it into his book after seeing it for the first time. (You may recognize the cover’s imagery from sections in the book like the advertising billboard with a “nonexistent nose,” or Daisy being described as a “disembodied face [that] floated along the dark cornices and blinding signs”).
2. Pride and Prejudice
There have been all sorts of covers for Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice throughout the years…from the classic Penguin covers to beautiful flowery editions. However, one of the most famous covers for this book that fans have long adored is the iconic peacock edition of Pride and Prejudice.
This famous Pride and Prejudice peacock cover was designed by Hugh Thompson for the 1894 George Allen edition of the book (Thompson also illustrated the novel for this edition). Although there’s not an actual peacock in this beloved novel, Thompson used the peacock as a representation for the themes of courtship, vanity, beauty, etc. that Austen brings to life in what is one of her most beloved works. And ever since, it’s been an iconic symbol for this book!
While the 1894 edition is a little out of my price range as it’s a collector’s item, lucky for the rest of us mortals the print comes in a lot of fun merchandise. (I even own a tote bag with this print 😉).
3. Catch-22
Another famous book cover design is Catch-22, an immediately recognizable cover that you’d know anywhere! This design was created by Paul Bacon, the prolific designer of around 6,500 book jackets and the designer who introduced the “Big Book Look” into book design.
Catch-22 is one such “Big Book Look” book, with a large bold title and author’s name set against a small conceptual image. It’s said that Bacon created eleven different versions of the cover for Catch-22 before the publisher agreed on this final version, and with it becoming so iconic it’s clear that it was worth all the work!
4. To Kill a Mockingbird
When you’re thinking of iconic or famous book covers, another one that might come to mind is this cover of To Kill a Mockingbird. This artwork is taken from the first US edition of the book, published by J.B. Lippincott Company in 1960.
The book jacket was designed by Shirley Smith, but there is very little information available about her. But one thing’s for sure…she definitely created an excellent and memorable book cover!
5. I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings
I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings‘ striking cover art is another book cover to add to your famous covers list.
While there have been different editions across the years, this cover art goes straight back to the first edition published in 1969 by Random House. And the cover art is just as compelling today as it was back in 1969!
6. The Hobbit
The Hobbit also has plenty of gorgeous cover designs, and while there have been many designs over the years the cover art for its first publishing in 1937 is by Tolkien himself and is thus clearly the best of them all. 😉
Tolkien’s Misty Mountain scene for the cover art was used for the first edition, and has since been reprinted in various forms. However, one key difference is that the original first edition did not have a red sun like many versions do today, but Tolkien Library notes that Tolkien originally wanted it to be red but had to change it due to budget restraints.
7. Charlotte’s Web
Charlotte’s Web may be a kids book, but its cover art is definitely still iconic! This book was illustrated by Garth Williams, who illustrated many famous American children’s literature classics including Charlotte’s Web, Stuart Little, and the Little House on the Prairie series.
8. The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy
The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy is a cult classic book, with multiple book covers that are worthy of this cult classic! The Mass Market paperback cover shown above is one of my favorite of the cover designs, as it’s just as vibrant and wacky as the book. But you’ll find that there are plenty of other versions that are variations on the theme and help make this book’s art immediately recognizable!
9. The Catcher in the Rye
The Catcher in the Rye is another of the most immediately-recognizable famous book covers, which is kind of funny since J.D. Salinger wasn’t a big fan of cover illustration in general…and was actually known to be quite resentful of cover art.
That being said, the art for The Catcher in the Rye was created by a good friend of Salinger’s named E. Michael Mitchell, so it’s likely Salinger was a fan or at least not super resentful of this iconic cover. If you want to know more about the artwork and symbolism for this book cover, check out this article to learn more about what was behind the cover.
10. The Little Prince
The Little Prince is a timeless short classic that everyone should read, but its cover and illustrations are equally iconic. Similar to Tolkien, Antoine de Saint-Exupéry both wrote and illustrated this classic.
Alongside the words, you’ll find the simple watercolor illustrations tug at your heartstrings…and in fact, tons of people love the books and art so much that they even get The Little Prince tattoos!
What an interesting topic!
I’ve only read three books on the list. Mockingbird, Rye, Web. I enjoyed and would recommend all three. My favorite cover by far of the ten you listed is Charlotte’s Web.
I didn’t read it, but I saw The Little Prince movie “draw me a sheep”. In the film, someone moonwalked about 10 years before MJ made it famous. I know the moonwalk predates the movie by at least 30 years too. I wonder how many people other than me read Catcher because of Hinckley, Chapman, & Bardo? “What is in the book that would make them do that?” I thought to myself.
Charlotte’s Web is one of my favorite covers from this list too. I think many of us read Catcher in the Rye (at least the first time) because we were forced to for school 😂 But your reason is an interesting one too!