Peter Mendelsund

Peter Mendelsund
EducationColumbia University (BA)
Mannes School of Music (MA)
Occupationsbook designer, artistic director, novelist
EmployerThe Atlantic
Children2

Peter Mendelsund is an author, painter, graphic designer known for his book and magazine covers, and the creative director of The Atlantic. Mendelsund has been described by the New York Times as "one of the top designers at work today" and "the best book designer of his generation" by Wired.

He is the author of seven books, including three novels.

Mendelsund is co-founder, along with Emma Cline, of Picture Books, an imprint of Gagosian Gallery and led the founding of Atlantic Editions, a book imprint of The Atlantic magazine.

Early life and education

Mendelsund grew up in Cambridge, Massachusetts, the son of Benjamin Mendelsund, and Judith Caton Gimbel. He is the grandson of former labor leader Henoch Mendelsund.

He graduated from Columbia University in 1991 as a philosophy major and received his master's degree in piano performance from the Mannes School of Music.

Following his graduation, he struggled to make a living as a pianist before training himself in graphic design and was hired by Chip Kidd to work at Vintage Books. He was later promoted to associate art director at Alfred A. Knopf and was art director of Pantheon Books and Vertical Press. He has designed critically acclaimed book covers for James Joyce, Vladimir Nabokov, Simone de Beauvoir, Julio Cortázar, Fyodor Dostoevsky, and Stieg Larsson. His book cover for The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo has been praised by The Wall Street Journal as "one of the most instantly recognizable and iconic book covers in contemporary fiction in the U.S."

During his tenure at Knopf, he also designed The Sewanee Review's first new cover in 73 years. He designed the cover for The New Yorker's May 11, 2015 issue, titled "Injustice: Baltimore, 2015."

In 2019, Mendelsund joined The Atlantic as its creative director, leading its rebranding and the redesign of the magazine.

Mendelsund's most recent books are the novel Weepers, and the memoir and art monograph Exhibitionist.

References

  1. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Exhibitionist-Journal-Depression-100-Paintings/dp/164622289X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=EUXSB42Z6JAC&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.Ftregrf0DvgVuMf7rjrxMQ.8mSw5leNUkzgE8tbgEcC2iEhEEn8vy89O1CTLWA6J28&dib_tag=se&keywords=exhibitionist+mendelsund&qid=1728488295&sprefix=exhibitionist+mendelsund%2Caps%2C66&sr=8-1
  2. ↑ https://www.newyorker.com/books/page-turner/portrait-cover-artist-interview-peter-mendelsund
  3. ↑ Goldberg, Jeffrey (November 12, 2019). "Introducing a New Look for The Atlantic". The Atlantic. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  4. 1 2 Alter, Alexandra (July 28, 2014). "The Creative Art of Selling a Book by Its Cover". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  5. 1 2 VanHemert, Kyle. "What Makes for a Brilliant Book Cover? A Master Explains". Wired. ISSN 1059-1028. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  6. ↑ Newman, Andy (February 9, 2021). "Numbers, Speed, Mystery: The World of the Delivery Worker". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  7. ↑ "Peter Mendelsund Is Done Being "The Book Designer"". InsideHook. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  8. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Weepers-Novel-Peter-Mendelsund/dp/0374619077/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VQ4SR0EGODLG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UQtYAVrtPISbhenePCw9a_qvUJ5lOCY2nfiePpReGQQ.C-mAzmIota1QAC_9Q3n0XO9uRFezuPNP-5tsbRyYug8&dib_tag=se&keywords=weepers+mendelsund&qid=1728488240&sprefix=weepers+mendelsund%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-1
  9. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Exhibitionist-Journal-Depression-100-Paintings/dp/164622289X/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_1_1/147-9535822-7176015?pd_rd_w=rSl6T&content-id=amzn1.sym.f7f035a5-ff07-4412-8a3c-9301028ec36b&pf_rd_p=f7f035a5-ff07-4412-8a3c-9301028ec36b&pf_rd_r=PMWZFS7ZYG9PP7M3XZA5&pd_rd_wg=0bJfo&pd_rd_r=b58a21ed-ad5f-4085-a054-221acb728485&pd_rd_i=164622289X&psc=1
  10. ↑ "Picture Books". November 15, 2021.
  11. ↑ "Design". Peter Mendelsund. Retrieved July 30, 2023.
  12. ↑ "The 'Atlantic' to Launch Book Imprint with Zando".
  13. ↑ "Benjamin Mendelsund 48". The New York Times. January 23, 1991. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  14. ↑ "Guide to the Mendelsund, Henoch. Interview by e. Finn". Archived from the original on June 7, 2013.
  15. ↑ "Take Five with Peter Mendelsund '91". Columbia College Today. February 13, 2019. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  16. ↑ "Peter Mendelsund '91 | Columbia College Today". www.college.columbia.edu. Archived from the original on January 24, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  17. ↑ "WEDDINGS; Karla Silverman, Peter Mendelsund". The New York Times. July 11, 1999. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  18. ↑ "Cover | Columbia College Today". www.college.columbia.edu. Archived from the original on January 30, 2022. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  19. ↑ "Los Angeles Review of Books". Los Angeles Review of Books. December 13, 2016. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  20. ↑ Mendelsund, Peter (August 7, 2014). "What's the Purpose of Book Jackets in a Digital World?". Slate Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  21. ↑ "Under Cover: Peter Mendelsund and "The Snowman"". The New Yorker. November 12, 2010. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  22. ↑ Shapton, Leanne (September 26, 2014). "Peter Mendelsund's 90 Versions of Yes". T Magazine. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  23. ↑ "The art of designing 'Ulysses,' 'Lolita' and 'The Girl with The Dragon Tattoo'". PBS NewsHour. August 27, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  24. ↑ "Cover: an ode to Peter Mendelsund's creative book covers". Designer Daily: graphic and web design blog. June 29, 2014. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  25. ↑ Fedor, Lauren (July 16, 2010). "Making 'Tattoo' Indelible". Wall Street Journal. ISSN 0099-9660. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  26. ↑ "About". The Sewanee Review. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  27. ↑ "Cover Story: Peter Mendelsund's "Injustice: Baltimore, 2015"". The New Yorker. May 1, 2015. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  28. ↑ "The Atlantic Hires Renowned Publishing Design Team Peter Mendelsund and Oliver Munday". The Atlantic. December 20, 2018. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  29. ↑ "The Atlantic redesign is "bold but classical, beautiful but spare"". www.itsnicethat.com. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  30. ↑ Hays, Kali (November 12, 2019). "From The Atlantic to 'A': The 162-Year-Old Magazine Gets a New Logo". WWD. Retrieved February 13, 2022.
  31. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Weepers-Novel-Peter-Mendelsund/dp/0374619077/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1VQ4SR0EGODLG&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.UQtYAVrtPISbhenePCw9a_qvUJ5lOCY2nfiePpReGQQ.C-mAzmIota1QAC_9Q3n0XO9uRFezuPNP-5tsbRyYug8&dib_tag=se&keywords=weepers+mendelsund&qid=1728488240&sprefix=weepers+mendelsund%2Caps%2C74&sr=8-1
  32. ↑ https://www.amazon.com/Exhibitionist-Journal-Depression-100-Paintings/dp/164622289X/ref=pd_sbs_d_sccl_1_1/147-9535822-7176015?pd_rd_w=0hTej&content-id=amzn1.sym.f7f035a5-ff07-4412-8a3c-9301028ec36b&pf_rd_p=f7f035a5-ff07-4412-8a3c-9301028ec36b&pf_rd_r=0MPW0Q8FYD60QFPXD40Y&pd_rd_wg=2hvz4&pd_rd_r=0d51c900-f429-488f-a318-21020e23e179&pd_rd_i=164622289X&psc=1