The Exploration of the Inner World cover design by Milton GlaserI actually got it for free at the local library. I initially picked it up for the cover, but ultimately brought it home based on the author’s thesis. This particular copy was a re-issue from 1952. Originally written in 1936, Boisen’s research is somewhat dated, based on the very little I know about psychology, the classification of mental illness (once a very encompassing and today somewhat politically incorrect term), and religious experiences. But in the context of when it was written, the book is very ahead of its time. When I’m finished, I’d like to read something a little more current on the subject, illuminated by recent discoveries in modern neuroscience, which was not nearly an advanced science as it is today (comments are enabled for this post if you have any suggestions).

This cover was designed by Milton Glaser (which I didn’t even notice until the book came home with me), but it is so of its period and context it looks like it could be a handful of different artists (no disrespect to Mr. Glaser, of course). Lesser known designers and illustrators from that era are finally getting their due thanks to the internet. If you spend enough time on the internet, you’ll discover that there is a lot of interest in the thrift store mid-century paperback aesthetic. Check out Book Worship, Julian Montague’s Daily Book Graphics, and the insane Pengiun Paperback Spotter’s Flickr Pool. While midcentury modernism never really went away, the resurgence of its popularity is yielding interesting results in the field of book design and illustration.

Postscript: One More related link: Absolute Sellout