Orbital

Bound by Glenn Malkin

Orbital By Samantha Harvey
Published by Jonathan Cape (London) 2023
Dimensions: 210 x 138 x 23mm
Bound by: Glenn Malkin (2024)

Booker Prize Binding 2024

The book is sewn onto four linen tapes, trimmed and edge decorated with acrylics and sprinkled palladium leaf. The hand-sewn endbands are silk. It is bound in full dark blue Pentland goatskin, airbrushed with black and white acrylic inks. The leather inlaid circles are surrounded by channels painted with blue acrylic and are decorated with leather dyes and acrylics including craquelle details. The doublures are edge-to-edge airbrushed Pentland leather with an inlaid dot of pale blue. The endpapers are dyed spiderweb Lokta paper. The book is presented in a bespoke wooden box lined with suede, with a lifting ribbon and a decorative leather title panel on the lid.

Harvey's book follows the thoughts, emotions and actions of the crew of six aboard the International Space Station as they repeatedly circle the Earth over a twenty four hour period. The design represents the sixteen orbits they make during this time. Each circle on the cover suggests a different abstracted view of part of our planet as the space station crosses our globe, set against a background of our own galaxy. The doublures feature a representation of Carl Sagan's 'Pale Blue Dot', a view of our own planet from a distant spaceship and which highlights the author's vivid exploration of our own insignificance in the cosmic timeline. The image on the box, beneath the title, represents the earth's fragile atmosphere as might be seen by the astronauts.

For further examples of Glenn's work, please visit his website at Glenn Malkin Design Bindings or e-mail him at glenn@glennmalkin.com.