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Monday, September 5

Jane Austen Book Covers Illustrated by Audrey Niffenegger

Aren't these book covers arresting? We thought so. They were illustrated by Audrey Niffenegger. We can't wait to see more. This edition of Sense and Sensibility will be available in October.


AUDREY NIFFENEGGER (b. South Haven, Michigan, 1963)

Audrey Niffenegger grew up in the Chicago suburb of Evanston, Illinois. She teaches writing, letterpress printing, lithography, intaglio, and book making at the Columbia College Chicago Center for Book and Paper Arts as well, and she teaches printmaking at the North Shore Art League.- Audrey Niffenegger by Mark Flanagan

Received a B.F.A. from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago in 1985 and an M.F.A. from Northwestern University in 1991. Talented writer and printmaker, awards include an Artist Grant from the Vogelstein Foundation, a Union League Art Scholarship from the Union League Civic Arts Foundation and a George D. and Isabella A. Brown Travelling Fellowship from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. Exhibitions include group exhibitions at the Art Institute of Chicago, Museum of Contemporary Art (Chicago), Chicago Cultural Center and the Spertus Museum. This bio of Audrey Niffenegger is from the Fashion Spot


Idea contributed by Raquel Sallaberry, Jane Austen em Português

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

I'm actually not that fond of the illustrations. "Sense & Sensibility" is a "storm in a teacup?" An exaggerated event? Something blown out of proportion? Kinda boggles my mind.
The "Persuasion" cover is just weird. Anne is trapped in her chair by thorns??? I'm not sure what trite metaphor that was intended with that one...

GypSea Rose said...

I'm not crazy about these either, makes me wonder what kind of intro they put in them

TONY said...

Unfortunately, publishers and it seems Penguin, in this case, they should know better, feel that making covers quirky and with a new twist which obviously confuses the meaning the of the novel will bring in the readers. I much prefer the Pengun Classic cover with the 1834 Thomas Sully painting of Ellen and Mary Mcllvain on the front. Their two faces reflect the characters in the novel and you can see who is meant to be who.Much more subtle and appropriate.

Vic said...

I am going to respectfully and politely disagree. I think these covers perfectly capture the underlying nastiness and prickliness of certain storylines and characters. The Persuasion cover shows Ann trapped in a vine with barbs - she is trapped - by the good intentions of Mrs. Russel, by her family, by society's conventions, and by her inability to rectify a mistake she had made. Only when the plot develops, is Ann released from her entrapment and blossoms once again.

I would characterize Sense and Sensibility as a tempest in a tea pot as well. Fanny Dashwood is the first storm to overset the Dashwood womens' lives after Mr. Dashwood's death, and Willoughby's arrival and Marianne's reaction to his rejection, and Lucy Steele's arrival all add to the stormy undertones.

Audrey Niffenegger has captured the subtext of Jane's books perfectly to my way of thinking.

Polly Jones said...

I like them, they're a bit subversive, just like Jane Austen. Audrey Niffenegger is also the author of "The Time Traveler's wife.