The Cheese Monkeys by Chip Kidd

FANTABULOUS!! Rarely do I find myself speeding through a book or even reading for 5 hours in bed when I should be getting my beauty sleep. But this first novel by renown graphic designer, Chip Kidd, was a definite page turner. Though classified as fiction, the book reads much like a brief autobiography, as it draws on Kidd’s real life experiences during his art studies at Penn State. I found myself reliving my own college days in Art/Graphic Design classes, relating to many of the goings-on throughout the book (though not quite as electrifying!)

To read a brief synopsis of the book, you can visit Good Is Dead. Be sure to check out the many examples of his work with book covers as well!

What’s really great, and very much inspiring, is the way Chip Kidd designed the entire book. Being an accomplished designer, he is able to ‘get away’ with a lot of techniques and ideas that traditional publishers would simply shy away from. Examples such as cover-edge text, stringing a single line of text across multiple pages, and changing the font midway through the book all contribute to the genius of his vision. And what’s more, the story is every bit as entertaining to read as is flipping the book over and around to see all the li’l artistic bits. So, if you want a quick, solid read for the weekend, I’d definitely recommend you pick up a copy of The Cheese Monkeys!