We’re judging books by their covers

McKinsey & Company

New from McKinsey & Company

Curated by Eleni Kostopoulos
Digital Publishing Manager, New York

We’re judging books by their covers

What makes a good book? Compelling characters. An engaging plot. An original story. A new idea. A clear purpose. And that magical something that taps into readers’ emotions. But perhaps nothing is as important to selling a book than its cover. A good book cover can draw in a reader, provide vital information about the book’s subject matter, and assure that the content in the book is high quality. We asked McKinsey Global Publishing designers to select their top book covers from more than 100 options featured in our 2022 summer reading guide . Here are their top 10.

Cover image of The Maid by Nita Prose

The Maid by Nita Prose

Cover image of This Will All Be Over Soon: A Memoir by Cecily Strong

This Will All Be Over Soon: A Memoir by Cecily Strong

Cover image of The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf

The Invention of Nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s New World by Andrea Wulf

China Unbound: A New World Disorder by Joanna Chiu

China Unbound: A New World Disorder by Joanna Chiu

Cover image of Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith

Shine Bright: A Very Personal History of Black Women in Pop by Danyel Smith

Cover image of It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him by Justin Tinsley

It Was All a Dream: Biggie and the World That Made Him by Justin Tinsley

Cover image of Grief Is Love: Living with Loss by Marisa Renee Lee

Grief Is Love: Living with Loss by Marisa Renee Lee

Cover image of Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything Is All of Us by Jon Alexander

Citizens: Why the Key to Fixing Everything Is All of Us by Jon Alexander

Cover image of Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades

Brown Girls by Daphne Palasi Andreades

Cover image of Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe

Complete Tales & Poems of Edgar Allan Poe by Edgar Allan Poe

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