Tis the Season

An unrepentant bookstore browser–I am fascinated by the variety of design contained within my preferred section.  Given the predilections of the LS community, I thought I might offer the beginnings of an open-ended cultcrit/tHEORY/osophy bookdesign awards list; seeing as how something as inane and omnipresent as design can only be properly approached by something equally anodyne and saturated. Also, we like lists.

Fellow fetishists are encouraged to add their own accolades or critique as needed:

Lifetime achievement award for general excellence – Verso – pretty much all good here, wo es war, Phronesis, cosmetically enhancing Baudrillard’s late hackery (Screened Out, anyone?) …. but

Most notable exception to said excellence: The fauxtidian radical thinkers series, I was really embarrassed when I saw this, luckily their selections have been solid, and the second round wisely went Futuristic – still hideous, but less offensive.

Most consistent offender: Continuum – esp. the 101 ‘impacts’ shit with the block letters

Most unforgivable effort: Being and Event – Continuum – just a massive disappointment – looks like an overwrought beach novel.

Janus award – Stanford – Meriden - crossed aesthetics so many times it  got pissed and moved onto cultural memory in the present.

(Archetypal ugly: LL's Typography – two colors locked in a gruesome deathmatch, but who will win? My money is on ‘corpse grey’)

Most unfortunate redesign – Minnesota – the old THL was the gold standard, serious without being pompous, colorful without being garish, I was a huge fan. The newstuff is not terrible, but what, pray tell, was idea behind the cover for the Inoperative Community?

Best Use of Artificial Color: Zone Books

Unclear on the Concept: Routledge  Classics - still the most physically difficult to  read.

Most delightful exception to a largely comedic history: The October series from MIT – not that that crowd would expect any less, but still, very nice.

Most forgivably over-designed readers: Routledge

Most unforgivably over-dramatic readers: Blackwell

Most readable typeface: MIT, Stanford

Most absurdly small typeface: Minnesota, Continuum

Most elegant layout of text/chapters: MIT, Continuum

Box-of-chocolates typeface: Verso