Lila by Marilynne Robinson

The cover of Marilynne Robinson’s Lila is a surprisingly winsome match for the themes of the book – the publishers have even chosen to use the same cover for the hardback and paperback editions. The single image of an unruly country scene washed with sunlight evokes a joyful stillness and sense of plenty. The fence, however cheerfully obscured by weeds, is an apt reference both to the boundaries of Lila’s safe and potentially happy new life in Gilead (to which no one is certain she can adjust) and to her earlier years of wandering. There are deep shadows beyond the fence, hinting at darker times, but the foreground is brightly lit and inviting.

Elke Power is the editor of Readings Monthly .

Not That Kind of Girl by Lena Dunham

Not That Kind of Girl is a beautiful object. It’s hardback, which I don’t always love as a reader, but the B-format and shorter length make it perfectly sized and easy to hold, carry and keep in my bag. The cover is simple and striking. The book underneath the jacket is a delicious hot pink to match the text. The inside covers feature a lovely, rather whimsical pastel pattern of illustrations and small, unobtrusive black and white illustrations continue throughout the book. All in all, it’s a delightful package.

I think it’s interesting that the publishers chose not to have a picture of Lena on the front (comparable books by other funny, talented women such as Amy Poehler, Tina Fey and Mindy Kaling feature the famous face front and centre.) I think the text only style highlights the unusual nature of the book – it’s a little more literary and slightly different in focus from the work of her contemporaries. (And I will say, a great read – I finished it in two days.)

Nina Kenwood is the Digital Marketing Manager.

Nona and Me by Clare Atkins

When I look at the young adult section of our Carlton shop, my eye is immediately drawn to this cover. Not just because of the vibrant colours (which I adore) but because it is so different to other young adult covers out there at the moment. The big bold type of the title suits the colourful artwork, and the silhouettes of the two teenage girls walking away from one another captures the heart of story.

Nona and Me is a debut Australian young adult fiction and one of the best YA books I’ve read this year. You can read our review here.

NK.

Acute Misfortune by Erik Jensen

Photographic evidence of an artist at work - paint smudges, stacked canvases, discarded paper - forms a frenetic backdrop to this book’s title, along with impressive (and wholly deserving) quotes from David Marr, Helen Garner and Christos Tsiolkas. This hint of wild energy is indicative of what the pages hold as Erik Jensen maps out the unpredictable, frequently self-destructive behaviour of Cullen. Not only do I think this cover is brilliant, but the book as an object itself is beautiful: a slim hardback featuring Cullen’s work in a series of colour plates. Read our review here.

Bronte Coates is the Digital Content Coordinator.

Conversations by Jorge Luis Borges & Osvaldo Ferrari (translated by Jason Wilson)

I have a fondness for illustrated covers to start with but I particularly admire how this one reflects the nature of Borges’ work with its dreamlike, absurdist quality. The colours are simple yet bright, and the hand emerging from the fish’s gaping mouth (with safety pin gleaming) suggests that something else is following the hand; you’ll have to read the book to find out what though. As the title suggests, Conversations is a collection of conversations between Borges and Argentine poet Osvaldo Ferrari, and happily for Borges fans, it’s the first volume in a series.

BC.