I herewith post the front and back cover of my book, designed by Dan Mogford, who has been a delight to work with and whose first-rate services are not pricey. The front and back flaps are also ready, but I don’t want to post ‘spoilers’.
At the end of a long day, we felt we had no alternative but to use Hollyer’s 1912 ‘iconic’ photo-portrait of George on the cover, as it is artistically the best image of him and likely to be the only one that potential readers have ever seen. At first glance, perhaps, the front cover is a little funereal or ‘black pot’, but to my astonishment some women have spontaneously told me they find George in this photograph ‘very handsome’!
Is it the eyebrows? A touch of Clooney perhaps, or Connery..?
The title on the front and spine will be in gold, as will the frame of the image on the back:
Click to enlarge
That’s terrific! I love it. But of course it’s not the eyebrows! It’s the eyes. The depth of pain in them; the vulnerability. He is looking past the camera – at what? [Thinks: Who is this man of mystery? I must buy the book and find out!]
And the touch of gold. A subtle echo of Percy Lubbock’s biography of George perchance?
Congratulations, Sam&Sam. I’m following your progress keenly – as exciting as a murder-mystery novel, but with the bonus of no-one having to die. I see you as Poirot, explaining the denouement to dim readers. When will he deliver his final line? And is the champagne on ice yet?
Interested, with my Polish background, about potential shortenings of Sam & Sam into a single, pluralised word, I suppose meaning “themselves”. In Polish that would be “Sami” if they include at least one man, and “Same” if both women. Sadly, they don’t have the trans-lingual pun of being English names in their own right.
There’s a touch of Douglas Jardine about that look; the scarf as well. Not so much ‘of’ or even ‘anti’ Establishment as beyond it. He’s always going to be his own man. Maybe that’s what gets the ladies. Congratulations. We look forward to the book adorning our shelves before long.
Thank you, Graeme, it’s very good to hear from you! How right you are about the touch of Jardine. There are resemblances of character, I think, too. Indeed I’m surprised to discover that Jardine was not an Edwardian but a Georgian. On the other hand, I can’t for one moment imagine the graceful batsman GC accepting Bodyline. Have a good season!
It’s a stunning cover. I was struck by the movement on the front cover – George emerging from darkness, perhaps only momentarily caught in the slanting light, heading off-screen to go who knows where…
After the front, the back seemed to have a feeling of brooding calm: disquiet arising perhaps from hindsight of impending war.
Looking forward to owning this book!
Looks great, Patrick. I agree with others; it’s a lovely picture of George. Looking forward to seeing “the real thing” in due course.
Many thanks, Sarah! I am very pleased you find it OK… It’s going to be a very thick book, though!