Seeing Things- Fabers covers for Seamus Heaney

Yesterday while in Paris I popped into Shakespeare and Co., if you have never been it's a must do when you are in Paris! While browsing I came across the latest volume of poetry from Seamus Heaney.

A new volume of Heaney around our house is an event as anyone who knows me will tell you. Usually  I lock myself up in a room and only pop out for sustenance!  Yesterday while holding his new volume 'The Human Chain' in my hand  I was struck again by the simplicity and beauty of the cover. The covers were designed  by Justus Oehler of Pentagram in 2001. Through the use of the typeface Perpetua and a palette of three colours per book he has created a series of books with a consistent feel that has the ability to produce an infinite number of variations simply through the use of colour.

Now you can even get a 'Vessel of Verse', more commonly known as a mug to hold that cup of tea while you catch up with some classics. If you haven't got the time to pop down to your local bookshop and have a look, then here is a highly click-able photstream on Faber and Faber covers, both past and present.

Photo: Pentagram