Reading the 90's
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The Scottish Book Trust has commissioned a fiction showcase, and as part of this, some standout novels from the 1990s will be republished in paperback format. These books have had many reprints, and just as many cover designs, but for this project, the client wishes to unify them under the themes of identity and change, and so a visual language that connects the books is important. This should be driven by typography, but illustration and photography are also acceptable.
'Morvern Callar' by Alan Warner, published by Canongate 1995.
Cult novel about a young Scottish woman's journey through rave culture and hedonism in the ‘90s.
Cult novel about a young Scottish woman's journey through rave culture and hedonism in the ‘90s.
‘Trainspotting’ by Irvine Welsh, published by Harvill Secker, 1993.
The best-selling classic novel of drug addiction and the effects of Thatcherism on urban Scotland.
The best-selling classic novel of drug addiction and the effects of Thatcherism on urban Scotland.
‘Trumpet’ by Jackie Kay, published by Picador 1998.
Acclaimed story of fame and gender politics in the life and death of a famous jazz musician.
Acclaimed story of fame and gender politics in the life and death of a famous jazz musician.
Morvern Callar is the name of the main character in Warner’s book. The name Morvern or Morven comes from a Scottish Gaelic word meaning "high peak" (A' Mhòr Bheinn). It is also a peninsula and traditional district in the Highlands, on the west coast of Scotland. Callar is a Spanish verb meaning " to silence, shut or quiet". As a result the evocative image of a Scottish hillside captures the mysterious aura surrounding the protagonist’s name and also the overall dark and enigmatic mood of the book.
Renton takes opium suppositories to combat his heroin withdrawal. Unfortunately, the timing is such that before the drug can take effect, Renton’s constipation has suddenly gone in the complete opposite direction. His only option? To avail himself of the “Worst Toilet in Scotland". The toilet proves that Renton will endure practically anything to get his fix, even slogging through a disgusting toilet. It also illustrates how dehumanising his addiction is, placing substance above dignity. Since the toilet scene was vividly depicted in the film as well, I decided to frame it on the book cover.
In her poetic novel, Jackie Kay tells the story of Joss Moody, a fictional jazz musician, whose death leaves his wife and son at a loss after a lifetime of constructing their own image of themselves in relation to Joss. More than that, Kay beautifully describes how their grieving process helps them to figure out who they really are. Gender is also one of the central themes in the novel and my cover captures it without using cliches or more obvious imagery.
