I ALWAYS judge a book by its cover

In 1989 or 1990, I purchased Katherine Dunn's Geek Love because I thought the cover was spectacular. I loved the orange and purple color combination, the font, pretty much everything about it. Next on the list was Donna Tartt's The Secret History - an acetate jacket folded over images of ancient sculpture? Sold. I am almost embarrassed to admit that it took me about five years (or more) to realize that I was slowly amassing a collection of books with great covers designed by the same person - Chip Kidd. Once I connected the dots, I would regularly visit bookstores and walk through the new release sections to see if I could pick out covers designed by the Chipster. Identifying Kidd covers became a kind of obsession game not only for me, but also for other members the family. I still get calls from my mom (usually in the middle of a meeting) while she is pouring through racks of used books at the Salvation Army to find one Chip Kidd. I'll see her cell number come up and, fearing the worst, pick it up. "Do you already have a copy of Let Nothing You Dismay?" My answer is always "no." While the game has lost some of its intrigue with the launch of goodisdead.com, Chip Kidd's website along with his Greatest Hits Volume One book, to this day I can still be found in new release section of any bookstore, looking at the back flap of a book cover for the name of the designer.
(Photo: goodisdead.com)