Fiction by Walter Kirn

This series of 3 jacket designs was completed as a student project in 2008. My initial redesign for Mission to America was conceived in 2006, pre-Mad Men (sorry AMC).

The protagonists in Walter Kirn’s novels share a common thread of anonymity and of finding one’s own identity. To package his bitingly witty fiction I created three book covers using the same grid and typeface and flat illustration style.

Thumbsucker (1999)

Fourteen year old Justin Cobb tries hypnosis to stop his thumbsucking habit, but his oral obsession manifests itself again and again in an escalating series of new pacifiers.

Sex, drugs, and Mormon missionaries. Adapted into a film (2005) directed by Mike Mills

Up in the Air (2002)

Ryan Bingham works as a career transition counselor (he is brought into corporate offices to fire people), but dreams of being a successful motivational speaker. He embarks on a six-day, eight city whirlwind tour of American cities in pursuit of Business Traveler Nirvana: the one millionth frequent flyer mile.

The American road novel takes to the skies. Adapted into a film (2009) by Jason Reitner.

Mission to America (2005)

Mason Pluto LaVerle belongs to an isolated matriarchal cult in the middle of Montana, that is at the same time both old-fashioned and new-agey. To escape an arranged marriage, he enlists in the Aboriginal Fulfilled Apostles’ missionary program to bring some new blood (and genetic material) into the fold. He and his fellow missionary, the tragically temptable Elder Starck overindulge in all the aspects of American culture, culminating in a super-rich Colorado ski resort town.