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Book One: Work, 1986-2006

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Described as "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design today (USA Today), Chip Kidd is universally recognized as an American master of contemporary book design. At the forefront of a revolution in publishing, Kidd's iconic covers, with their inventive marriage of type and found images, have influenced an entire generation of design practitioners in many fields.Chip Book One collects all of his book covers and designs for the first time, as well as hundreds of developmental sketches and concepts-annotated by Kidd and by many of the best-selling authors he's worked with over the years. The result is an important contribution to the design canon today as well as a visually dazzling (and often hilarious) insider's look at the design and publishing process.The book also showcases Kidd's work with comics and graphic novels, including his collaborations with leading artists and writers in the field. Featured are projects for DC Comics, including Batman and Superman, as well as Kidd's award-winning exploration of the art of Charles M. Schulz. Chip Book One is sure to enthrall design aficionados, book lovers, pop-culture fanatics, comics fans, and design students.

304 pages, Paperback

First published September 27, 2005

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About the author

Chip Kidd

68Ìýbooks286Ìýfollowers
Chip Kidd is an American author, editor and graphic designer, best known for his innovative book covers.

Born in Reading, Pennsylvania, Kidd grew up in a Philadelphia suburb, strongly influenced by American popular culture. While a design student at Penn State, an art instructor once gave the assignment to design a book cover for Museums and Women by John Updike, who is also a Shillington native. The teacher panned Kidd's work in front of the class, suggesting that book design would not be a good career choice for him. However, Kidd later received professional assignments to design covers for Memories of the Ford Administration and other books by Updike.

Kidd is currently associate art director at Knopf, an imprint of Random House. He first joined the Knopf design team in 1986, when he was hired as a junior assistant by Sara Eisenman.

Publishers Weekly described his book jackets as "creepy, striking, sly, smart, unpredictable covers that make readers appreciate books as objects of art as well as literature." USA Today called him "the closest thing to a rock star" in graphic design today, while author James Ellroy has called him “the world’s greatest book-jacket designer.�

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5 stars
557 (52%)
4 stars
293 (27%)
3 stars
156 (14%)
2 stars
38 (3%)
1 star
18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
Profile Image for karen.
4,012 reviews172k followers
August 30, 2009
good gravy, i love chip kidd. this book is like bookporn; me drooling over every cover, because i am someone who is completely influenced by covers - i cant even help it. i have multiple books-by-the-same-author even if ive never read the author just because they consistently have great covers. i just buy them every time they write a new one, and every time i think - "man, i should read one of them - they might not even be that good", but that is a problem working in the book biz - the seeing and the wanting and the having. chip kidd just happens to make a disproportionate amount of wonderful book covers. and hes funny, too, when talking abouit his process and experiences. i wanted this book for so long, but for some reason it didnt seem like somthing one should buy oneself. so i wishlisted it and now i have it, and i can admire its layout and contents any time i please. volume two please...
Profile Image for Stephanie (aka WW).
931 reviews22 followers
May 12, 2018
(4.5 stars) Chip Kidd is full of himself. But, he knows it and doesn’t care one whit. That’s how geniuses are. And Chip is definitely a genius...a genius at designing book covers. Until I read this book, I paid little attention to book covers. Either I liked a book cover or I didn’t. Sometimes I loved or hated a cover but I didn’t think much about why. Now, I will analyze every book cover I see. For overall design, placement of the images, colors, type face...everything. This book has shown me how every little thing is important in conveying the essence of the pages within. Wow, a whole new world...

BTW, Chip Kidd is also one of my favorite authors. His two novels - The Cheese Monkeys and The Learners - while not as perfect as his covers - were fun reads and I still remember the plots, which for me, is a test of a good book. (Although I also remember the plots of terrible books, too, but these are remembered in a good way.)
Profile Image for Seth T..
AuthorÌý2 books936 followers
March 4, 2008
After I picked up , I happened to look at the cover-design credit and recognized the name Chip Kidd. After a moment's reflection as to the source of my familiarity with the designer, I walked over to my bookshelf and picked up a volume from my collection of Osamu Tezuka's . Sure enough, Kidd had designed the covers for the entire series (incidentally, I found the design one part frustrating and one part inspiring, as the spines line up nicely and thematically but the half-jacket is kind of obnoxious to deal with).

After that, I went through my shelves and picked out any of the books that I thought had interesting covers. At least half of those were designed by Kidd as well. . . . . Et cetera.

I was intrigued, Googled our dear designer, and found that he was more popular than I had properly imagined. This piqued still further my curiosity. And so now I have another book with a cover designed by Kidd: : Book One: Work: 1986-2006, a 400-page volume exhibiting a sample of his book-jacket designwork from the last twenty years.

The book itself is a treasure. A visual smorgasbord of styles and themes. A veritable cornucopia of novel treatments. While there is an occasional overlap of feel or technique (or some other abstract quantification equally obscured and subjective), the breadth of design direction is truly impressive.

Kidd is clearly a creative persona.

And this collection of his work is impressively presented. Book One is a treat for both the eyes and the mind. While a mere presentation of the jacket designs themselves would be a worthwhile scheme for a design collection such as this, the work is elevated by helpful descriptions both of product and process by the creator himself as well as reactions penned by authors/victims of his creative process. Kidd's text shows both a joy in his work and a look into what goes into the crafting of a book jacket that enlarges upon the work it contains—and does so with humour and more apparent humility than I would have expected.

I found the book so interesting that I blew through the entire thing in two days. Doubtlessly, I'll return to it time and again over the coming months and years. In any case, I highly recommend it to those interested in thoughtful design, a pairing of words too rare in our day.

note: a big bone of contention is not the visual design of the volume's cover but its physical properties. While its dimensions are perfectly suitable for an art collection/coffee table read, the unique composition of its cover can be difficult to negotiate. The hardback cover only extends (front and back) to the point of the spine of the book photographed on the cover. Inside the hardback cover is a paperback cover that extends to house the rest of the book. It is awkward, certainly, and took a bit of getting used to, but once I became accustomed to the book, holding it comfortably ceased to be a difficulty. Heh, a book with a physical learning curve—that was a new one for me.
Profile Image for Jay French.
2,151 reviews83 followers
August 11, 2012
Quite a behind-the-scenes description of the making, or really the envisioning of book covers. Everything has a story, quite often a reasonable one based on the book being covered (but not always!). Nice as a coffee-table book, but the odd half-hardcover, size and heft makes this ergonomically challenging to read. I'm heartened that my daughter, considering taking a design class in high school, is attracted to the book - the images, the stories, and the design of the pages. With Kidd explaining, that's a great start.
Profile Image for Hank Stuever.
AuthorÌý3 books2,027 followers
October 17, 2015
It's like the best crack for people who've ever loved graphic design, especially as it pertains to book jackets.
Profile Image for Trevor.
168 reviews
July 30, 2020
Even if you've never heard of Chip Kidd, you've almost undoubtedly seen his work. He is the most sought-after book jacket designer, responsible for some of the most distinctive book covers of recent history ( and , for example).

Judged on the content alone, the book designs, this merits 5 stars from anyone interested in graphic design. Kidd brings very little preconceived style to his designs, letting each one be different and inventive. Taken as a whole, the common thread in his work is that it is original, inventive and almost never literal.

As a monograph of an artist, this also merits 5 stars: it includes all the major designs from this period, along with a few missteps, rejected designs, behind-the-scenes notes, and even some contributions by the authors he worked with.

Highly recommended to anyone interested in graphic design.
1,783 reviews25 followers
May 23, 2018
Recently I saw Chip Kidd: Book Two at a bookstore. With a some basic book-numbering-subtraction-deduction, I realized that I needed to find this book first. It is a tome. A beast (of many colors). And every page is something new. It reminded me of much of what I had read between 1986-2006...but more often, all the things that I need to add to my list and/or *finally* read. Most of America and a large part of the world knows Chip Kidd's work...even if they don't know it was his work. They at least know the Jurassic Park dinosaur. And if they haven't seen that, they have probably seen designs that are heavily influenced by Chip Kidd (aka designs stolen from). So many books (Geek Love, collaborations with Haruki Murakami, the comics, The Cheese Monkeys, and on and on.). So many books. It makes me book-drunk just thinking about it.

I don't think I'm quite ready to dive into Book Two yet...it did take 9 weeks to really absorb the work in this volume. Soon though...soon.
Profile Image for Matt Reece.
10 reviews
March 2, 2021
Solid design reference �
Worthwhile for experienced designers to read �
Pretentious designer author �
Most notable thing - the book is primarily about book cover designs and has one of the most impractical book covers ever that has not stood up (literally) well over time
Profile Image for Alicia.
125 reviews9 followers
November 18, 2018
I've read Book One and Book Two. Basically, Chip Kidd is my favorite visual artist of all time...because he designs the most beautiful book covers I have ever seen.
Profile Image for Brian Kovesci.
835 reviews13 followers
February 17, 2022
I almost forgot that I love Chip Kidd.

I owe The Cheese Monkeys and The Learners another go.

Note for the homosensuals - check out his Instagram. Chip is a DISH.
Profile Image for Sarah.
223 reviews1 follower
July 19, 2024
Once you learn to recognize Kidd’s work, it is everywhere. In a good way. I am glad to finally move this from one list to another.
Profile Image for Wink.
36 reviews4 followers
April 7, 2014


The world’s best book cover designer is Chip Kidd. Kidd has designed hundreds of best-selling books, and continues to amaze readers today. His designs are marked by sympathetic creativity. In his cover designs there is usually at least one unexpected element but it is always in the service of what the book is about. The better you know a book, the better the cover works; at the same time, knowing nothing as a mere browser, his covers call you to stop and look, to investigate. Chances are that if you have a favorite book cover, he designed it. But Kidd also turns out to be a fabulous writer. In this anthology of his designs up to the year 2006, he writes lucidly about his uneven process in making each design, his wrong turns, the ways he solved the problem and what he was thinking at the time. He is a generous spirit, sharing what he’s learned, optimistic and grateful, and supportive of the authors. He is also a reader! His covers work so well because he’s really read the book. Closely. All this makes this book (and his ingenious cover!) about books, both a fantastic read and a memorable visual experience. It’s one of my all-time favorite design books. � Kevin Kelly

Chip Kidd: Work: 1986-2006, Book One
by Chip Kidd
Rizzoli
2005, 304 pages, 9 x 12 x 1.2
$28
Profile Image for Ryan Chapman.
AuthorÌý5 books283 followers
March 6, 2007
Chip Kidd is the Monet, Picasso, and Warhol of book design. I say this not from a position of authority—my design history knowledge is marginal—but of amazement. With great stylistic breadth meted out over thousands of covers, proof of quality and quantity, Kidd interprets the unnamable heart of every book he designs for into a perfect illustrative adornment. The collection itself is printed masterfully, with glossy full-color renderings of nearly everything he's designed in the last twenty years. True to a man with no singular style, the order of covers presented is done by loose themes and authors.

Alongside short histories of each project by Kidd often the authors themselves write their own thoughts. Think of any of your favorite contemporary novels, and chances are Kidd designed it. Well, maybe not any, but you know. This collection's a bit pricey, though entirely worth it. (I had the good fortune and good friendship to receive this as a present.)

After reading it, or, rather, digesting all the artistic brilliance on display, you'll never look at a book cover the same way again. Incidentally, I also recommend his excellent bildungsroman/style manifesto The Cheese Monkeys if you're looking for a brainy beach read.
Profile Image for Kerfe.
946 reviews46 followers
December 27, 2008
After reading Kidd's semi-autobiographical novels, it was fun to get a parallel view of how his schooling and friendships led to his current book cover success. There's a little biographical background here, but mostly photos of covers, with commentary by both Kidd and sometimes the authors of the books. He gives ample credit to collaborators, and shows rejected ideas beside the final product so that the reader can get a feel for the process too. I'm in awe of the huge amount of reading he has done, since of course he needs to know the books in order to find the essence to distill into the cover art. I myself have read only a very small percentage of what is pictured here, but in the case of the ones I do know, the covers fit well.

Kidd doesn't have an immediately recognizable style, but all his covers are direct, clean, and fresh. They look good. For contrast, he shows a few instances of paperback versions of the same books that use different covers by other designers--why is it that these are so often so awful? Do publishers think that purchasers of paperbacks don't care about good appropriate-to-the-story design?

Kidd's work is worthy of repeated viewings--for book lovers, truly a feast.
Profile Image for Steven.
4 reviews3 followers
January 2, 2008
If you're a book designer, Chip Kidd is what you aspire to (though you know you'll never get to that level). He is the top of the heap, the "rock star" of the profession, and he's even a Jeopardy! answer. You'll probably never get to that level. But flipping through Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006 sure makes you want to try.

This collection of Kidd's covers, side-by-side (as many as there can be; he's designed over 1000 so far), provides a great deal of insight into how he works. There is a Chip Kidd style--you know his work when you see it, but you don't know why--and inside this book you can piece it together. Some of it is tongue-in-cheek, some more serious, but all of it is fantastic. His ability to convey what is inside a book onto its cover is like no other. This book offers interviews with authors as well as CK himself, personal tidbits here and there, and sketches that take you inside the designer'screative process.


If you're a designer of any kind, an author, or even just a reader, you must pick up Chip Kidd: Book One: Work: 1986-2006. It'll change the way you look at all other books from here on in.
Profile Image for Travis.
72 reviews5 followers
November 3, 2011
Absolutely stellar!



Chip Kidd's star has been on the rise for a few years now. You can't walk down an isle of fiction without seeing his handywork catching your eye.



Kidd has achieved that place that all cover designers long to be. It's a lofty one where you are given enough room to really try some unorthodox things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don't.



This book covers Kidd's work up until 2005. It's fun to read about the process of putting these covers together. And even more fun to read the responses from the authors he was designing for. It's no surprise how many authors hate their covers initially, only to come around and see the brillance of the designs once they see their book pop off the shelf when compared to others.



This is one of the few books Kidd has designed in and out, so it's a fun page turner. Lots of juicy layout and gorgeous photos.



Highly recommended for those with an interest in book design.
Profile Image for Al.
305 reviews
August 11, 2013
"'In St. Paul, Minnesota a young man told me he had bought several of my books. When I thanked him he said, "Oh, it has nothing to do with you. I collect Chip Kidd covers."'" Author Edmund White's bookstore anecdote perfectly captures the attraction of Chip Kidd on full view in this collection of twenty years of his book covers, mostly for Knopf. The work collects books well known and not, both early and final versions along with background on the creative and often political processes in book jacket selection. This is a fun and insightful book, appealing to both casual readers and graphics artists. The only complaint I have with the author is, ironically enough, his book cover for his own book. Having the pages extend far outside the book cover probably seemed like a clever idea on paper, but it makes for an unwieldy book to read or store. Nonetheless, "Chip Kidd" is a genuine treat for readers. Recommended.
3 reviews
February 23, 2012
When this book first came out, I raced to the bookstore to get a the hardcover. I allowed myself only a few pages a day so as to savor the design process of each and every cover inside. Chip Kidd is wonderful for putting together a collection of his work like this. As a designer, I could immediately start to see his influence on the covers I was working on (in a field that's much less inspiring!). He helped me push some boundaries and get more experimental. I feel like reading this has made me a better designer.

I think both designers and avid readers will appreciate this volume. I went out and found a first edition of The Secret History, just for Kidd's cover design and ended up loving the narrative inside as well. For anyone who loves books and is curious about the backstory of a book's cover, this is worth flipping through. I can't wait for Book Two!
Profile Image for Jay.
AuthorÌý45 books12 followers
August 2, 2007
Cripes. This book is effing enormous. It's also awkward to read, because half of it is hard cover and the other half is paperback and flops all around. Don't get me wrong; it looks cool, but the dimensions make the it difficult to read in bed. Or on a plane. Or most places that lack a well-supported table.

Anyway, Book One compiles twenty years of Chip Kidd's best book cover designs. The authors of those books submit their opinion of Chip's work, so it makes for a nice, dense look at the design process. I would just make sure that you lift some weights prior to reading. Do some curls. Work the triceps.
Profile Image for Tim Hennessy.
AuthorÌý2 books6 followers
September 25, 2007
A few years ago, my then-girlfriend-now wife noticed a peculiar book buying issue that plagued me. If a book I enjoyed came out with a better cover I would then try to off load the former copy.
Once and awhile this could be overlooked. Maybe even considered "upgrading".
Thankfully, Chip Kidd's work has been collected so, at least my enjoyment of his cover artwork can be enclosed in one book. Time spent stalking used book stores new arrival shelves can now be spent staring at these pages and wondering how Chip Kidd does it.
Profile Image for jenna Hudrlik.
429 reviews43 followers
October 11, 2009
i didnt really read this book but i did try and look at it. i wonder, is there something that i am missing? i hear so much about this man's book jackets and then when i see all of the ones he designed in this book i recognize many of them as being covers that i thought "why would they choose this design b/c it looks cheap?" not my style / taste at all. but it is a nicely laid out book if you were to like his designs so the rating is more for chip kidd's cover designs - not the book itself.
Profile Image for Jennybeast.
4,090 reviews15 followers
July 21, 2010
It's particularly cool to read this extraordinary book as a librarian --so many of the books covers inside are familiar and recognizable as the popular works. I'm purely amazed at how this book, which could come off as Chip Kidd's scrapbook of celebrity encounters instead reads as a humble offering. It's probably the best chronicle of the last 20 years of graphic design in the united states and it comes across as modest, approachable and endlessly fascinating.
Profile Image for Troy.
273 reviews25 followers
June 8, 2015
I love reading about creative people's processes; how did they figure to do this, or draw that, or make things that color? Here is a thick tome, full of Chip's work, and paragraph upon paragraph of him explaining the whys and hows, with some notes from the authors themselves. This was a treat to read and to gawk at. Stretching what could be conventionally done with type and photographs and stock images, Kidd did a ton with a great eye towards the material. Very much enjoyed this book.
Profile Image for Andrea.
26 reviews10 followers
July 31, 2007
This guy has rethought the book in every way that challenges a print designer. He is to book jackets as a tailor is to a suit...and a really good one controls every aspect of the design to create a signature cut.

This is one of the few design books really worth owning because of how freaking undeniably interesting the artwork is.
Profile Image for Jamie.
229 reviews8 followers
July 14, 2009
Love love love love love. After reading, spent an hour combing through my bookshelves to find Chip Kidd cover. I'm excited to contrast this book with , a book I'm pretty sure Chip Kidd would want to kick to the curb.
Profile Image for Matt.
26 reviews2 followers
March 22, 2007
A sumptious review of Chip Kidd's book-related graphic design work, with lots of testimonials from authors and designers that he's worked with over the years. It actually introduced me to a number of books that I probably otherwise wouldn't have read. And it looks spiffy on the cofeetable too.
Profile Image for SarahKate.
11 reviews3 followers
June 15, 2008
Chip Kidd is a personal hero for me. He's completely changed the way books are designed and I'm not going to lie, I do judge a book by it's cover. This is a fantastic way to dive head first into the world of book design and the life of Chip Kidd. It's also an impressive coffee-table book.
Profile Image for Rob.
370 reviews8 followers
August 27, 2009
I loved leafing through this book. I probably went through this book 8-10 times before I even began reading. Being a book designer, I enjoyed reading Chip's thoughts and commentary on his design choices. Very insightful and inspiring.
Profile Image for Diana.
5 reviews
May 24, 2009
Very comprehensive source for Chip Kidd designs, created by the master himself. I adore the full-bleed images and the format of the book, and it's a great source of info on the design master himself without being laborious to read. Definitely recommend it.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews

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