Gallery: Go Ahead, Judge These Books by Their Covers

  • Image may contain City Town Metropolis Building and Urban
    Janet Hansen
    01

    BookDesign1.jpg

    Every year Design Observer chooses 50 books to honor for their well-designed covers. This one by Janet Hansen creates the illusion of materiality with just black and white lines.
  • Image may contain Text Handwriting and Calligraphy
    Spencer Kimble
    02

    BookDesign2.jpg

    Handwritten typography has been a major trend over the past couple of years.
  • Image may contain Label Text Nature Outdoors Ocean Water and Sea
    Peter Andersen
    03

    BookDesign7.jpg

    Some of the designs are simple, like this book commemorating 100 years of Alfred A. Knopf.
  • Image may contain Rug Mat and Doormat
    Chip Kidd
    04

    BookDesign5.jpg

    And this Peanuts cover from Chip Kidd, which uses only seven marks.
  • Image may contain Text
    Erik Carter
    05

    BookDesign9.jpg

    Some of them are based on pure wit, like this from Erik Carter.
  • Image may contain Advertisement Poster Brochure Paper Flyer and Text
    Jaya Miceli
    06

    BookDesign6.jpg

    The best book covers tend to buck trends.
  • Image may contain Plant Tree Ornament and Christmas Tree
    Eddie Opara
    07

    BookDesign8.jpg

    Eddie Opara's *Green* is a bold, photographically driven cover.
Read More
What’s Worse Than Romance Scams? Adoption Scams
This week in WIRED Book Club, we recap the final chapters of The Yahoo Boys.
Kate Knibbs
Beatbot’s New Pool Robot Cleans Itself (Mostly)
The AquaSense X brings self-cleaning technology to pool robots for the first time, but is it worth nearly twice the price of Beatbot’s flagship cleaner?
Christopher Null
Skylight’s Touchscreen Calendar Got my Whole Family on the Same Page
The Skylight has become the informational and organizational hub of my household. My touchscreen-native kids have also gained more agency over our family activities.
Jaclyn Greenberg
The Samsung Micro RGB R95H Is a Good, Not Great TV
There’s a new fleet of TVs using new mini and micro RBG display tech, and Samsung’s R95H model isn’t as impressive as it should be.
John Brandon
AI Found a Root Bug in Linux That Everyone Missed for 15 Years
Plus: The Pentagon is training amateurs to become part of its hacker army, a Flock license plate reader error led to cops surrounding a car reviewer, and more.
Dell Cameron
We Make Lovely Home-Cooked Meals for Ourselves. Why Not Do the Same for Our Dogs?
More dog owners have begun cooking for their canine companions in recent years. When my own dog fell ill, I became part of this growing group.
Alicia Kennedy
The Best Hiking Boots and Shoes for Any Adventure
From strenuous hikes and serious summits to weekend rambles in the park, these boots help you make the most of your time outdoors.
Chris Haslam
China’s Tianwen-2 Space Probe Has Rendezvoused With Earth’s Quasi-Moon
The probe sent back the first pictures of the asteroid Kamo’oalewa. Next step: landing on the surface and collecting samples to send back to Earth.
Ritsuko Kawai
El Niño Is Already Wreaking Havoc on Pacific Fisheries
As the climate phenomenon sends warm water surging across the eastern Pacific, some parts of the fishing industry are suffering—but other regions are seeing a windfall.
Joseph Winters
Exclusive: How Jay-Z Pulled Off a Surprise-Filled Show During New York’s Wildest Summer
Summer 2026 marks the 30th anniversary of Jay-Z’s debut Reasonable Doubt. To honor it, he put on a massive concert at Yankee Stadium—complete with performances from Beyoncé, Nas, and Alicia Keys.
Angela Watercutter
OpenAI’s Head of Safety Is Leaving the Company
Johannes Heidecke’s departure comes as OpenAI tries to further integrate its research and safety teams.
Maxwell Zeff
Microsoft Reports a Massive 25 Percent Jump in Emissions
Data centers are driving up the company’s use of electricity—and carbon pollution.
Molly Taft