Rodrigo Corral Reimagines Literary Classics as Airport Paperbacks

Graphic designer Rodrigo Corral gives J.D. Salinger a J.D. Robb-style makeover and domesticates Orwell’s Animal Farm. (Photos: UnBeige)

As students continue to procrastinate their classics-laden summer reading lists in favor of vampire tales and steamy romance novels, Rodrigo Corral is taking a walk on the mass market side. The acclaimed designer reimagined the jackets of four classic works of literature for the August issue of Print, which collects design “Rants and Raves” from the likes of Steven Heller, Art Chantry, Felix Sockwell, and Barbara Glauber. Corral begins with pitch-perfect palettes, typography, and graphics and then loads up his faux covers with critical blurbs (“A literary triumph,” raves the Tribune of George Orwell‘s kinder, gentler Animal Farm. “It’s not even about farm animals!”), bestseller callouts, and price-saving corner stickers borrowed from Barnes & Noble. His cover for the notoriously jacket-controlling J.D. Salinger takes its cues from those of J.D. Robb (a.k.a. Nora Roberts when she’s feeling sci-fi), while Mary Shelley‘s Frankenstein is reborn as a sizzling romance in Hulk green. A hot pink sticker notifies would-be readers that the title is part of “the Super Steamer Series.” Meanwhile, Shakespeare‘s Julius Caesar (members save 95% off!) is updated with a nod to John Grisham-style shadowy figures, here encircled in a laurel wreath. “Friends, Romans, and countrymen alike will love this read,” raves Corral’s critic. “There’s nothing tragic about this one!” Et tu, Rodrigo?

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