About


Zoë Frances Carr is a graphic designer and illustrator based in San Francisco, California.    

THE SHAPE OF THE BOOK


Adobe Indesign, Adobe Photoshop
Spring 2025
 Publication Design
Book Binding
Photography

This book is an edited version of the chapter “The Shape of the Book” from Alberto Manguel’s A History of Reading which was originally published in 1996. This redesign celebrates the book as both a private treasure and a public artifact through imagery of books in rare collections, outdoor bargain bins, library shelves, and the hands of readers across San Francisco. 

Books transport us not only through their written content but also through their physical forms. Ornate, gilded, hand-painted volumes invite us to imagine the countless hands and hours of labor that brought them into existence, while tattered edges and dog-eared pages reveal a book’s life as a cherished companion — its wear and decay testaments to love, use, and the passage of time. In a world overwhelmed by screens and digital distractions, the physical book remains essential — an irreplaceable, tactile experience that invites us to slow down, reconnect with history and craft, and savor the simple pleasure of holding a story in our hands.




take me to a random page!






©2022—’24