Honestly, I think your original covers were better and that there isn’t anything offensive about them. You did a good job with a tough task. Taking a swastika and doing a subversion of it on a cover seems to me a very different thing than say, someone writing a Holocaust book and then a designer just lazily slapping a conventional swastika flag on it.
BTW, if you ever need a subject matter expert consultation on any of your covers that you're working on then feel free to reach out and I'll try to help. (No charge or anything.) Antisemitism has been my main focus the last few years and remains so now but I've spent years working on writing/editing/researching other subjects too, particularly about terrorism, radical ideologies, media, technology, politics, religion, culture, etc. So I'm happy to answer any questions on stuff as you're considering potential designs or wondering if something is potentially going to offend one group or another.
I think you’re overthinking it (which is better than under thinking it, when it comes to Nazis). But one positive of not having the swastika cover chosen is that the book won’t be illegal to sell in Germany!
This was a difficult task indeed, but i'm glad you were the one doing it! It's comforting to see that you put so much thought into it, and truly reflected upon it. As you said, it's easy to just go for it and do something clever without taking into account that this is still a very very very sensitive symbol for many of us.
Well, before swastika was an awful representation of Nazi hate and violence, it was (I think still is) a symbol of divinity in Hinduism and Buddhism, but it's CORRECT form, which is facing the other direction than the Nazi one. But but! Like the others said, your original covers were better than the final one, though that one is eyecatching and good too 🙏🏻🎉 Thank you for letting us see your book cover designing process 🥹 It was once upon a time my career dream (that, or being a children's book designer) but now everything is on hold because of mamahood.
Honestly, I think your original designs are better, too. You did a great job on a tough task. Your use of the swastika is interesting and thoughtful. Instead of the lazy just slapping a swastika in a design because it kinda works.
Honestly, I think your original covers were better and that there isn’t anything offensive about them. You did a good job with a tough task. Taking a swastika and doing a subversion of it on a cover seems to me a very different thing than say, someone writing a Holocaust book and then a designer just lazily slapping a conventional swastika flag on it.
Thanks David. I was wondering what you might think. I completely agree—the swastika for its own sake or to vaguely reference Nazis/WWII is lazy!
BTW, if you ever need a subject matter expert consultation on any of your covers that you're working on then feel free to reach out and I'll try to help. (No charge or anything.) Antisemitism has been my main focus the last few years and remains so now but I've spent years working on writing/editing/researching other subjects too, particularly about terrorism, radical ideologies, media, technology, politics, religion, culture, etc. So I'm happy to answer any questions on stuff as you're considering potential designs or wondering if something is potentially going to offend one group or another.
Thank you! That’s kind of you, I appreciate it
I think you’re overthinking it (which is better than under thinking it, when it comes to Nazis). But one positive of not having the swastika cover chosen is that the book won’t be illegal to sell in Germany!
Oh, I’m sure I am. Doesn’t mean I can help it, though! Haha.
This was a difficult task indeed, but i'm glad you were the one doing it! It's comforting to see that you put so much thought into it, and truly reflected upon it. As you said, it's easy to just go for it and do something clever without taking into account that this is still a very very very sensitive symbol for many of us.
Thank you Rose! You can always count on me to think too hard and never be sure about things
Well, before swastika was an awful representation of Nazi hate and violence, it was (I think still is) a symbol of divinity in Hinduism and Buddhism, but it's CORRECT form, which is facing the other direction than the Nazi one. But but! Like the others said, your original covers were better than the final one, though that one is eyecatching and good too 🙏🏻🎉 Thank you for letting us see your book cover designing process 🥹 It was once upon a time my career dream (that, or being a children's book designer) but now everything is on hold because of mamahood.
Honestly, I think your original designs are better, too. You did a great job on a tough task. Your use of the swastika is interesting and thoughtful. Instead of the lazy just slapping a swastika in a design because it kinda works.