Michael Pietsch, CEO of Little, Brown parent Hachette Book Group, and DFW's editor for IJ:
The internet has made it possible to see the massive amount of creative response readers have to Infinite Jest. I'd seen a lot of art connected to the book online, and it seemed that allowing readers who have loved it to submit cover designs for the anniversary edition was a way of honoring and highlighting all that creativity.The winner is Joe Walsh, a designer in Ohio. The edition will be released February 23.
Walsh shared his creative process (with many drawings) here.
I am disappointed in this cover, though I'll buy the edition because (a) it's my favourite book of all time and (b) there is a new introductory essay by Tom Bissell.
Chris Ayers at Poor Yorick Entertainment posted some of the entries while the contest was still going on. I really liked Ayers's submission:
If Little, Brown wanted something video cartridge-related, they should have chosen The Made Shop's entry:
It's beautiful - and the infinity loop of the tape makes far more sense than the eye on the winning entry. I don't understand the inclusion of the eye at all.
The Made Shop should release a dust-jacket-sized version that readers could print out and use.
2 comments:
What does the eye signify?
I like the infinity tape, too. Even though I haven't read the book, it seems perfect.
Not sure what it signifies. Maybe not being able to stop watching the "Entertainment"?
The cover designer: "I decided that for me, the most central theme in the book had to do with what we are looking for when we look towards entertainment. What is it about entertainment that draws us in ..."
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