![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfCSryhTwminHm_Jzz5N6QG-mHygWR0f7KQivlr86Zc1XXScQFZKT45yRk1VAGSXTyZcjILsjYs6kxdFsCGjSzhMvIQwWROVjzwVjomaeHm5lSrxDf5RV-owVLtRR4OnkOapR3hHA6dy04/s1600/mabanckou_brokenglass.jpg)
I absolutely love book covers, especially a beautifully designed one. It's also no secret, I judge books by their covers. I've admitted it a few times here - I even have a tumblr dedicated purely to book covers.
This month I've been reading Alain Mabanckou's novels that have been translated into English, and while I have thoroughly enjoyed them so far (I'm currently reading Black Bazaar) I couldn't end the month without acknowledging these four book covers.
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlxO0qZl5gGvs2u_czGkM8hZ98zxsIxYksjF9M-Um8yNaHAAvbnu-9WdsnzbhRaOE1rAqhCbPgINezuS5neop-1NK6U4y7Obz_7M7S91HBm14Mz5Kt21udG9rJzxgzXWiYQghH6LHpRUJD/s1600/mabanckou_porcupine.jpg)
![](https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1eWL1ZgA9DdAfXHEcAOCt0M3LR770SYO7fhsUswiTk7ubgrY4DqEfaj_aIGGdxh_VqT3YmdmIhv-LPC7sXfiV4IaZmoCKvbcPEsOg85YBdg2eILQYmjU3Q60_IKDfW3fIumFTxXXF-g1N/s1600/mabanckou_blackbazaar.jpg)
Also if you're into these things, check out Bill Bragg's illustrations - they are pretty stunning (as well as his magazine Le Gun and illustrations for Folio Society).