JACKETS REQUIRED: An Illustrated History of American...

JACKETS REQUIRED: An Illustrated History of American Book Jacket Design by Steven Heller and Seymour Chwast (Chronicle Books: $19.95; 144 pp., paperback original). Introduced in England in 1833 to protect fine bindings, the book jacket evolved into a graphic art form during 20th Century. Heller and Chwast show how various jackets reflect the major trends in 20th-Century American design, but it’s odd to see so much artistry lavished on second- and third-rate novels.