The striking cover of The FitzOsbornes at War by Michelle Cooper uses a 1932 photograph of Loretta Young taken by Edward Steichen. This is an incredible cover, IMHO, reflecting the era of the book (WWII, which is close to the '30s) and the character of the protagonist. Sophie is not the smartest, the bravest, the most charming of the FitzOsbornes. She is merely the one who wrote down everything that happened to the other members of the family.
Michelle Cooper refers to the photo and cover at her blog.
I'm guessing that this cover was created by the art department of Cooper's American publisher, Knopf. If I'm right, then I think it's a powerful example of what a traditional publisher can do for an author. Finding that particular photograph and getting the rights to use it is amazing.
Thanks, Gail. I wish I could say I knew the cover was Loretta Young from the start, but I ddin't until it was menationed on Goodreads by you and another reader.
ReplyDeleteDespite her shortcoming, I liked Sophie FitzOsborne. In fact, I liked all the characters Michelle Cooper peopled her books with. The FitzOsborne trilogy is one of my all-time favorites.
When I read the second book, I said it was like a Masterpiece Theatre series. I meant that in a good way. I think this is a trilogy that adult readers would like a lot. It should have been a big crossover hit like The Book Thief.
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