Cover to cover: weird and wonderful books come to light at Libri Belli

Two story book covers — Left, A Caso, a collection of short stories by Tommaso Landolfi in an edition designed by John Alcorn and illustrated by artist and writer Edward Gorey. Right, L'Abbuffone, a 1975 compendium of culinary stories

(Image credit: TBC)

Italian collector Livia Satriano thinks a book should definitely be judged by its cover. ‘If it is true that an ugly cover can sometimes hide a surprise inside, a beautiful cover rarely has disappointing content behind it,’ she says.

Her recently launched online bookstore Libri Belli offers a selection from her ever-growing collection of books, which she has sourced over the years from second-hand stores, vintage markets and online libraries. Libri Belli – meaning beautiful books, although its direct English translation fails to convey the humorously nostalgic connotations – stocks a growing selection of unusual titles.

The selection currently includes everything from a history of witchcraft to a practical guide to prostitution from the 1970s, and will soon offer a series of particularly beautiful editions of classic books, with a mix of fiction and non-fiction titles. Although the subject matter is as diverse as it comes, the titles share a common thread in their beautifully designed covers, combining bright illustrations and typography.

‘I have been accumulating these books on my shelves for years,’ says Satriano. ‘Now it’s time for them to see the light.’ Settle in and flick through the best titles of the bunch.

Two worn book covers — Left, a book collecting crime stories from Italy's past. Right, a humorously titled book on Monet from the 1940s

Two book covers with black and white image of a female — These books are part of a series by French photographer Dominique Darbois, who travelled the world to document childhood across the globe

Two abstract colour book covers — Libri Belli's non-fiction selection includes a tome on the human mind (left), and a treaty on anxiety (right)

INFORMATION

For more information, visit the Libri Belli website

Rosa Bertoli was born in Udine, Italy, and now lives in London. Since 2014, she has been the Design Editor of Wallpaper*, where she oversees design content for the print and online editions, as well as special editorial projects. Through her role at Wallpaper*, she has written extensively about all areas of design. Rosa has been speaker and moderator for various design talks and conferences including London Craft Week, Maison & Objet, The Italian Cultural Institute (London), Clippings, Zaha Hadid Design, Kartell and Frieze Art Fair. Rosa has been on judging panels for the Chart Architecture Award, the Dutch Design Awards and the DesignGuild Marks. She has written for numerous English and Italian language publications, and worked as a content and communication consultant for fashion and design brands.