AustLit

‘The success of a book is nearly always seen in its commercial ability to create sales. It has to be right for its market at that time. Books are at one level an object of commerce but on another are also objects of desire. They are meant to be read, which is most important, but I believe they are also meant to be seen, caressed and even smelt.The dialogue between the author and the reader, using text and visual information, is the designer's task as mediator. Some books can be commercially problematical; they may have pushed the boundaries of design for their own good. There is a fine balance between an object that is aesthetically beautiful and one which is radical in its method.’(Introduction 198)