Adrian Chesterman - A gallery of book covers

 

I nearly bid on a copy of this the other day just because I liked the cover but then I heard the creak of my bookshelves and decided to hold back.  On the plus side it made me do a little investigation.

 

 

 

 

 

Well these are rather lovely, aren't they.  For obvious reasons I've selected the covers with spacesuits in them but if you go google image; Adrian Chesterman, you will find a lot of very beautiful icon book covers from the 70s and 80s. Enjoy, I know I did.


Steve

Dean Ellis Gallery (various dates)

Marvellously talented artist


Steve

Peter Jones Cover Gallery (0000)

There is so much of Peter Jones artwork that I love, especially his work on the Larry Niven books, but for the purposes of this blog, here's some with spacemen in them

Steve

Marmalade Atkins in Space (1981)

I've been wanting to blog this one for a while but have been waiting for some decent images to appear.  This is the best we're going to get ,I think, but it will do the job

 

Marmalade Atkins was created by Andrew Davies.  She appeared first in book form in Marmalade and Rufus (1979) but within a couple of years had been adapted for television where she was played by the rather brilliant Charlotte Coleman.  Her TV debut was initially in the one-off Marmalade Atkins in Space, broadcast in 1981 as part of the Theatre Box series.  However this proved so popular that it was followed by two ten-part series entitled Educating Marmalade (1982/1983) and Danger: Marmalade At Work (1984).  I remember watching this anarchic kids show when I was probably a little too old for it but you know; Funny is funny, whatever the demographic.

A couple of the book covers and an illustration from within.

 

 

Steve

Great Adventure Stories for Boys Hamlyn story library (1977)

 1977

1980?

Two editions of the same book, both paying homage to a different, previously existing, spacesuit.

The first is clearly: Space: 1999 - Mission of the Darians (1975) with some elements of the  UFO and Moon Zero Two spacesuits

And the second is the classic: Alien (1979) Ripley's Suit

Because I'm reading a lot of old books from the 60's 70's and 80's this year I was quite happy to order myself an copy of the top one for that reason and the rather lovely cover.  I'll update artist info when it arrives, if its documented.


Steve

The Interpreter by Brian Aldiss. Cover by Bruce Pennington (1973)

A bit of a classic cover as far as I'm concerned.

Steve

Sargasso by Edwin Corley (1978) Cover by Paul Alexander

Originally published the previous year, this is the cover for the 1978 paperback edition with art by Paul Alexander

Its a very striking and captivating image, to see an astronaut at the bottom of the ocean, and although you shouldn't judge a book by its cover, this one does scream pick me up and read me

Infinity One - Cover art by Jim Steranko

Obviously Steranko is all kinds of genius but a Steranko spacesuit is a thing of beauty.  Click on this to see it in all its glory.  Then go search the internet for some of the finest comic covers you will ever see.


Happy New Year, people


Steve

The Best Short Stories of Fredric Brown (1982)

The Best Short Stories of Fredric Brown 1982 NEL edition with art by Tim White.  And here it is again in full glory.  An amazing piece of work.

 

You know what its like; you wait you whole life to see a mouse in a space suit and then two come along at the same time

Steve

The Best of Fredric Brown (1977)

The Best of Fredric Brown by Fredric Brown - 1977 Del Rey / Ballantine edition with art by H. R Van Dongen.

Steve

11b The Carnival - Ladybirds Books (1966)

 

Art by Martin Aitchison, I believe.  Unless someone wants to tell me different?


Steve

'How it Works' The Rocket - Ladybird books (1967)

Another Ladybird Book showing us what the future was going to look like just a few years before it happened for real. Beautiful art by B. H. Robinson from this 1967 book.

Ladybird was a very important part of British culture, and I doubt there was a kid growing up through the 60's and 70's that didn't own a few or at least borrowed them from the library to do some homework for school.  I've recently treated myself to a copy of the above from the local Oxfam store and added to it with the Television one from the same 'How it Works' series.  The technology for both has moved on a bit since then but I'm not sure the quality of the illustrations can be bettered.

 

And we all trusted what Ladybird showed us so if they said we would by circling round the moon for fun then I for one believed them.  Of course I used to think I would be the kid up front but I realise now that I'm to be the dad at the back.

Somethings just take a little longer to come true


Steve

Robert Schultz - Gallery (1950's)

 Sands of Mars (1954)

 

Operation: Outer Space (1957)

 

Space Tug (1954)

 

 

Steve 

Moonspin by Elmer J Carpenter (1967)

Artist unknown...but so good they used it on the back cover as well.
Anyone?

Steve