Wow! ‘After the Prophet‘ is a finalist for the 2010 PEN-USA nonfiction award, official announcement to come September 1. Am honored and psyched, especially since the paperback is due out September 7, making this lovely timing.
The new paperback cover is on the left, the hardcover one on the right:
I much prefer the new cover. Mere authors don’t get much of a say on such things, so I have serious reservations about those sand dunes and the ‘barefoot peasant garb,’ both of which are Western stereotypes. I’d say try walking barefoot on hot sand, but you really don’t want to do that. And while photographers love sand dunes for obvious reasons, most of the Middle East desert is either stony, dusty steppe-land or bare, jagged mountains.
Still, I do like the idea, however staged for the camera, of the two walkers going off on separate ways and yet in the same general direction. It’s a more graphic representation of the split, rather than the somewhat generic another-book-on-Islam feel that I get from the hardcover jacket. And it seems to convey more of a dramatic sense, raising the question of how come they’re going their separate ways and implying that there’s a tragic story to be told — which is what I did in the book (check out the website here, and the Gallery section of it here).
My friend and IT guru Olivier disagrees, and prefers the hardcover jacket. What do you think?
bravo and mazal tov, Lesley!!
I’m delighted for you, well deserved…you of course also deserve to win
Will there be any festivities? Now that I’m newly arrived in NYC, I could lend my support in person.
Kitty
oh, and ps — I’m with you on the cover, the new one is much more dramatic, evocative, and somehow symbolic of the deep rupture(within connection) you write about, not to mention much more pleasing aesthetically
writing this from a wifi cafe in Manhattan, where the langauge around me is Arabic…this on the upper west side; to which this Canadian can only say, God Bless America when she is at her best
Mazal tov times a thousand! Are we allowed to be as excited and proud as yourself?
Immediately the paper back cover connotes a split, yet a blinding light in between the two souls promising a revelation within the pages of some sort of understanding and denouement. I do prefer it as well. Especially in our era of “show and tell.”
Congratulations!
This is wonderful news, Lesley!
May you win. And the new cover is elegant and graceful
Warmly, Tamam.
Fantastic Lesley, all my good thoughts to you for a WIN too! Immediately liked the new cover better, it elegantly conveys the spirit and drama of the story in one quick glance, even if not entirely realistic & stereotypical, and guides the eye better. Yay for YOU!
Great news about being a finalist for the book award — it’s an honor and worth celebrating! I’m with Olivier regarding the book cover, though; the older one is much more attractive, in my opinion, as far as color and contrast are concerned, and it seems to connect history to present in a way the new cover does not. How-some-ever (as my Grandma used to say), I believe the new cover is more modern and will grab more readers who are likely to be in the paperback market. Each cover seems to fit its intended audience pretty well.
Hi Lesley,congratulations on being a prize finalist – am keeping my fingers crossed for you to emerge victorious. Like Nancy, I think each jacket is best suited to its hardback/paperback role, though the best promotion of all is to be shortlisted – well done!
Congrats Lesley!
You deserve it- it is a very good read.
I think it’s downright silly that authors aren’t central to the jacket design of the books they wrote…
Congratulations! What great news! I prefer the hard cover jacket but only because the new one reminds me of that “when the footsteps disappear jesus is there” thing. And that’s probably a flaw in me and not in the jacket design.
Many thanks all. Since they sent me a letter asking if I’d like to buy tickets to the gala dinner, I gather After the Prophet is not the winner. I’m good that way with subtle cues. Still, finalist is fine(ish).
Re the paperback v. hardback cover, opinion seems to be running two-thirds with me, one third with Olivier. His comment,: an inscrutable “Hmm.”
As long as Olivier knows that Mark and I are in his camp re: the cover, then it’s okay that we were in the minority. 😉