American Aurora

by Richard N. Rosenfeld // St. Martin's Press

• An AIGA's 50 Books // 50 Covers Best Cover Selection

American Aurora is a scholarly work about an incredible period in our country’s early history. The book traces the development of the Philadelphia newspaper American Aurora, which challenged and revised popular perceptions of such figures as George Washington and John Adams.

Although there were no budget restrictions, I felt compelled to design a simple, stately cover reminiscent of an eighteenth-century broadside, using one typeface, Caslon 224, throughout and debossing it to emulate the deep imprint of hot metal printing. The paper stock was chosen for its similarity to old parchment paper. The wine-colored stain that spreads from the lower right corner suggests not only the blood of revolution, but also reflects an aurora, the redness of the sky just before sunrise.