You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover, but it’s okay to judge a cover on its own. The following are vintage book covers from Sweden published between 1940 to 1970 with the common theme of less is more. (Hat tip, The Rumpus.) The minimal elements convey a vivid message, whether it’s a lone ship crossing a seemingly endless ocean or the legs of a man merging with with the head of a ravenous beast. If you miss the declining prevalence of cover art in our digital age of downloads and blank CDs from Best Buy, take a look to celebrate a different era.
