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Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Book Covers
by
Jane Austen never goes out of style
Since the first publication of her six novels in the 19th century, she has delighted generations of fans with classic stories that have never changed—and countless covers that have. Jane Austen Cover to Cover compiles two centuries of design showcasing one of the world’s most beloved and celebrated novelists. With over 200 images, plus hi
...moreHardcover, First Edition, 224 pages
Published
November 11th 2014
by Quirk Books
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Start your review of Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Book Covers

Holy moly did I enjoy this book. Every second was fascinating. I have always loved beautiful books, and seeing a whole book of my favorite author's covers was so fun. It was also fascinating learning about the history of the publication of her works, and how the books were interpreted with the changing times. I also have a new life goal to own the Peacock edition, and the beautiful 1890s editions of Emma and Sense & Sensibility, and any others of that gorgeous style. It makes me want to reread a
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“The person, be it gentleman or lady, who has not the pleasure in a good novel, must be intolerably stupid.”
– Jane Austen, Northanger Abbey (the quote is included in the book).
This is a marvelous book, non-fiction of the best kind. It documents most known editions of Austen’s novels, their covers and illustrations, from the first modest printing of Sense and Sensibility in 1811 (print run of 750 copies) until now.
The photos on every page made me smile. My heart pulsed with joy the entire t ...more
This is a marvelous book, non-fiction of the best kind. It documents most known editions of Austen’s novels, their covers and illustrations, from the first modest printing of Sense and Sensibility in 1811 (print run of 750 copies) until now.
The photos on every page made me smile. My heart pulsed with joy the entire t ...more

I picked this book up, expecting to see some pretty Austen covers to ooh and ahh over. But this book turned out to exceed my expectations. Sullivan provides a background to Austen' s life and books, as well as how the books were published in Austen's time through the present day. The book is sectioned based on how these works were printed, in Austen's time, before the introduction of the modern printing press through today, where the Internet, ebooks, and audiobooks abound.
I enjoyed reading the ...more
I enjoyed reading the ...more

I was asked if I would review Margaret C. Sullivan's latest book, Jane Austen Cover to Cover, and I was only too happy to! I had heard about this upcoming book and I was very much looking forward to it and already had it on my wish list!
I always knew that there were lots of different covers and editions of Jane Austen's novels - I own quite a few versions myself! - but I didn't realise how many there really were!
This book was absolutely fascinating to look through and spot ones I own, and how m ...more
I always knew that there were lots of different covers and editions of Jane Austen's novels - I own quite a few versions myself! - but I didn't realise how many there really were!
This book was absolutely fascinating to look through and spot ones I own, and how m ...more

Showcasing 200 years of Jane Austen book covers with large color photographs and entertainingly informative text, this is a book Austen fans will treasure, but really anyone interested in history, the evolution of book publishing, or changes in graphic art will have lots to enjoy in its pages. The covers chosen vary wildly, from gorgeous to hilarious, and the passages explaining their circumstances and putting them in historical context are fascinating.
In Austen’s own day each title was publish ...more
In Austen’s own day each title was publish ...more

For more reviews, Cover Snark and more, visit A Reader of Fictions.
Initially, I wasn’t so sure about Jane Austen Cover by Cover. I mean, obviously when the chance to review it came, I leaped on it like Caroline Bingley on an offer of marriage from a man of good fortune. A Christina in sight of anything having to do with Jane Austen must be in want of said item. I have zero self-control. Though I’ve managed to keep from adding every single terrible published fan fic of Austen’s novels to my Goodr ...more
Initially, I wasn’t so sure about Jane Austen Cover by Cover. I mean, obviously when the chance to review it came, I leaped on it like Caroline Bingley on an offer of marriage from a man of good fortune. A Christina in sight of anything having to do with Jane Austen must be in want of said item. I have zero self-control. Though I’ve managed to keep from adding every single terrible published fan fic of Austen’s novels to my Goodr ...more

Grab your cuppa, folks, this review is going to be a ride.
I'm the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of Jane Austen. Hear me out: I enjoy her books, but I'm not as much of a fan as I am of, say, Little Women or Anne of Green Gables. Multiple copies of both novels grace my shelves, and I have gotten copies of them just for their covers. I've memorized portions, acted out scenes in middle school, referenced the stories as online usernames, I'm literally wearing a Little Women shirt at thi ...more
I'm the first to admit that I'm not the biggest fan of Jane Austen. Hear me out: I enjoy her books, but I'm not as much of a fan as I am of, say, Little Women or Anne of Green Gables. Multiple copies of both novels grace my shelves, and I have gotten copies of them just for their covers. I've memorized portions, acted out scenes in middle school, referenced the stories as online usernames, I'm literally wearing a Little Women shirt at thi ...more

4.5 stars
Originally posted at Writer of Wrongs
You guys, this book is my catnip. It combines several of my favorite things: Jane Austen, cover design, history, and humor. It's got a gorgeous cover and full-color pages and hilarious commentary.
Full disclaimer: this book was made for me. I'm coming in with a just Janeite bias. I've read every book multiple times over, I've seen every adaptation that I've heard of, I can quote lines from memory, and I even have Jane Austen band aids. And most import ...more

I won a copy of this book from the publisher in a Booklikes.com giveaway.
I have to say that the first thing I judged about this book was its cover. Obviously. You can’t write a book about book covers without having a good one yourself, it just wouldn’t work. But the cover is lovely, if not groundbreaking, and looks especially nice sitting on a coffee table for casual perusal.
Cover to Cover is a visual history of the covers that have graced-and disgraced-Jane Austen’s work, from her first print ...more
I have to say that the first thing I judged about this book was its cover. Obviously. You can’t write a book about book covers without having a good one yourself, it just wouldn’t work. But the cover is lovely, if not groundbreaking, and looks especially nice sitting on a coffee table for casual perusal.
Cover to Cover is a visual history of the covers that have graced-and disgraced-Jane Austen’s work, from her first print ...more

There are probably more than a few instances in every reader’s life when they have been induced to pick up or click on a book due to its outward appearance. When choosing cover, authors and publishers put a lot of thought into the audience they are trying to appeal to and often take great effort to package their book to attract and entice readers. Having been first published over two hundred years, Jane Austen’s books have seen many editions, reprints, and yes, lots of different and diverse cove
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A beautifully crafted coffee-table book that made me want to become a rare bookcollector myself. Not only is it beautifully designed, it is also well-structured and holds some various bits of insightful information and reflection upon the way bookdesign has been affected by the trends and tendencies of its particular time. The point is of course that while Jane Austen's stories never change, our perception of them do.
I could have wished for further explanation on why the writer chose to include ...more
I could have wished for further explanation on why the writer chose to include ...more

This is a great album for all Jane Austen lovers. Have all principal editions of all novels with Margaret Sullivan point of view on them. With some I agree with some I do not but nevertheless it's a great thing to have in one's collection. Saves you from the urge to hunt and buy them all. Or not :) Well, I'm still searching for edition with Brock's illustrations.
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This is such a delightful and well-presented look at some of the covers that have graced Austen's books over the decades. Obviously it's impossible to be comprehensive, but Sullivan provides a very good sampling, with snarky comments when warranted. It's fascinating to see how the book as an object/art form has evolved, how tastes (and marketing tactics) have changed, and how Austen's novels have endured through it all.
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Originally reviewed at Books Etc.
I love Jane Austen (though I wouldn't call myself a Janeite, not yet anyway) and I love book covers (especially pretty ones) so I was really excited for Margaret C. Sullivan's book, Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Book Covers, published November 2014.
This book pretty much lived up to every expectation I had. It was set up in a really aesthetically pleasing way, which made the reading experience so much better. Each page had one cover and a write ...more
I love Jane Austen (though I wouldn't call myself a Janeite, not yet anyway) and I love book covers (especially pretty ones) so I was really excited for Margaret C. Sullivan's book, Jane Austen Cover to Cover: 200 Years of Classic Book Covers, published November 2014.
This book pretty much lived up to every expectation I had. It was set up in a really aesthetically pleasing way, which made the reading experience so much better. Each page had one cover and a write ...more

This review originally appeared on Austenprose: http://austenprose.com/2015/01/23/jan...
In my opinion, the true sign of loving a book is owning multiple copies and versions of it. For example, I myself own six different copies of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. Over the years, I’ve found annotated versions, paperbacks, hardcovers, illustrated, vintage, and many other types of printings. I enjoy collecting different copies to compare covers, prefaces, introductions, and illustra ...more
In my opinion, the true sign of loving a book is owning multiple copies and versions of it. For example, I myself own six different copies of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice and Persuasion. Over the years, I’ve found annotated versions, paperbacks, hardcovers, illustrated, vintage, and many other types of printings. I enjoy collecting different copies to compare covers, prefaces, introductions, and illustra ...more

This books is wonderful. I knew it would be the moment I picked it up (yes, I chose it for its cover). Margaret C. Sullivan does an excellent job presenting the covers in such an engaging way. Every page featured colour photographs of the cover in question, and a well researched blurb about the edition. I loved seeing the covers from the mid 20th century, and was very pleased to see my favourite tongue-in-cheek cover from 2013 of a shirtless Colin Firth!Darcy smoking, gazing off the page.
The hum ...more
The hum ...more

I must admit that when I saw the title, I was wondering if the topic would hold my interest. I'm not a book collector. I should have known that Margaret C Sullivan would knock it out of the park(Mansfield?). As always, so witty and informative.
...more

I’ve had this sitting around since I went to Austin (ha!) in 2017. I picked it up every few months, learned a little, and then put it down again.
It’s an interesting collection, showcasing the traditional covers as well as more modern takes on Austen, movie/miniseries tie-ins, languages besides English, etc. My only issue was that the writer fell into the trap of describing romance in a way that makes it seem like a lesser genre; unhappy when others boiled Austen down as “only” romance but not r ...more
It’s an interesting collection, showcasing the traditional covers as well as more modern takes on Austen, movie/miniseries tie-ins, languages besides English, etc. My only issue was that the writer fell into the trap of describing romance in a way that makes it seem like a lesser genre; unhappy when others boiled Austen down as “only” romance but not r ...more

You know what I love? A great coffee table book. I have had this for several years and I have enjoyed reading a couple pages every couple of months but I have not read the whole thing. Well, during this stay at home time I have remedied that. Over three days I read it and absolutely loved it. If you are a fan of Jane Austen then this book will make you smile and make you realize that there are other people that are big as fans as you. This book goes into the history of her book covers and it was
...more

This book uses photos of 200 years of covers on Jane Austen’s novels to show how books have changed over time at least in packaging & marketing.
Learned a few bits of trivia on Austen I’d not previously known. Mostly left this knowing it’d be a great reference to teach the history of publishing & books
Learned a few bits of trivia on Austen I’d not previously known. Mostly left this knowing it’d be a great reference to teach the history of publishing & books

Read/Looked for Review (Quirk)
Overall Rating: 5.00
Photograph Rating: 5.00
History Rating: 5.00
Review: Words cannot express how much I LOVED Jane Austen Cover to Cover by Margaret C. Sullivan. If you are a Jane Austen fan there is plenty of history in this about the covers, printings, and tidbits about Jane. If you are a cover fan, you will love the 100s of ways these covers have been imagined (both English and non-English covers). This went on my Jane Austen shelf and I saw several covers I would ...more
Overall Rating: 5.00
Photograph Rating: 5.00
History Rating: 5.00
Review: Words cannot express how much I LOVED Jane Austen Cover to Cover by Margaret C. Sullivan. If you are a Jane Austen fan there is plenty of history in this about the covers, printings, and tidbits about Jane. If you are a cover fan, you will love the 100s of ways these covers have been imagined (both English and non-English covers). This went on my Jane Austen shelf and I saw several covers I would ...more

Quick summary: In Jane Austen Cover to Cover, Margaret C. Sullivan showcases the cover designs of Jane Austen’s work over the past 200 years, from the first editions to beautiful collectors’ editions to the quirky and the silly. Sullivan highlights translated editions, movie tie-in covers, and covers meant to attract a younger audience. But this book is more than just a collection of covers; Sullivan goes into detail about the history of book publishing and how advances in the printing press and
...more

When I was offered a copy of this beautiful book to review, I was only too happy to.
I have a dreadful literacy secret, that is that I have never read a Jane Austen; I know, I know how is this possible and where have I been? I felt that this book was a brilliant one to introduce me to Austen.
This book is simply stunning, it shows 200 years of Auten's covers with large photographs and very informative text. You don't have to be an Austen fan to appreciate this book, don't get me wrong, fans are g ...more
I have a dreadful literacy secret, that is that I have never read a Jane Austen; I know, I know how is this possible and where have I been? I felt that this book was a brilliant one to introduce me to Austen.
This book is simply stunning, it shows 200 years of Auten's covers with large photographs and very informative text. You don't have to be an Austen fan to appreciate this book, don't get me wrong, fans are g ...more

This book was perfection for me. It's not just the history of Jane Austen covers--it also shows the trends in publishing throughout the years, as well as a look at how the making of books changed and how they became more affordable over time. And seeing the covers and how much they fit into their time periods was absolutely fascinating. Also, it talks about movie covers, covers from other language editions, and ebooks. The one problem: it made me want to go out and buy a whole bunch of new Jane
...more

My first impression of this book was that it was bigger than I expected and of very nice quality. I loved that the pages were large enough for two covers to be shown on either side of the fold so that matched sets or books with similar themes could be grouped together. Overall, the book was extremely well organized, largely chronological and with reasonable divisions. I also thought the sections being labeled with quotes from Austen were a nice touch, as were the fun extras at the end, including
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Full review can be found at:
https://gonepecanla.wordpress.com/201...
Overall Thoughts: After reading this book there is no doubt in my mind this will be a treasured book in my collection. I think no matter if you’ve read all of her novels, none, watched all of the movies and made for tv specials, or some combination Austen has touched your life. Heck, there are modern-day books and movies that are based on them you might not even realize (Clueless anyone? AS IF!!). I fall into the movie group. I ...more
https://gonepecanla.wordpress.com/201...
Overall Thoughts: After reading this book there is no doubt in my mind this will be a treasured book in my collection. I think no matter if you’ve read all of her novels, none, watched all of the movies and made for tv specials, or some combination Austen has touched your life. Heck, there are modern-day books and movies that are based on them you might not even realize (Clueless anyone? AS IF!!). I fall into the movie group. I ...more

Fans of Jane Austen novels have this tendency to be crazily interested in all things Austen. I can say that, because I'm one of them. And this is a perfect example of the kind of weird, specific book that can really appeal to a Janeite.
I was expecting a selection of photos of odd and/or beautiful editions of Austen novels - and I got that. (Seriously, you should see some of these covers. Gut-bustingly horrible and funny.) What I wasn't expecting, but got anyway, was an informed timeline of publi ...more
I was expecting a selection of photos of odd and/or beautiful editions of Austen novels - and I got that. (Seriously, you should see some of these covers. Gut-bustingly horrible and funny.) What I wasn't expecting, but got anyway, was an informed timeline of publi ...more

I was excited to win this as part of the Goodreads giveaway.
I'm not the biggest Jane Austen fan, having only read two of her books in high school, but I do enjoy pretty book covers and I've been thinking about rereading the books I was forced to read in high school to see if I have more appreciation for them as an adult. I really enjoyed seeing all of the Jane Austen book covers throughout history and to see how they've evolved over time. The book includes a brief history of Jane's life and a lo ...more
I'm not the biggest Jane Austen fan, having only read two of her books in high school, but I do enjoy pretty book covers and I've been thinking about rereading the books I was forced to read in high school to see if I have more appreciation for them as an adult. I really enjoyed seeing all of the Jane Austen book covers throughout history and to see how they've evolved over time. The book includes a brief history of Jane's life and a lo ...more
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I'm an author, but I'm a reader, too, and my reviews here are from a reader's perspective. I love Jane Austen and Georgette Heyer and don't really consider genre when I'm choosing a book, so my list will be eclectic!
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