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Stories from the Warm Zone by Jessica Anderson

by
July 1987, no. 92

Stories from the Warm Zone by Jessica Anderson

Penguin, $9.95, 245 pp

Stories from the Warm Zone by Jessica Anderson

by
July 1987, no. 92

In her interview with Candida Baker for Yacker 2, Jessica Anderson expresses her dissatisfaction with the covers of a number of her books, citing in particular the glum face on the paperback of The Impersonators and the representation of The Commandant as, in Baker’s words, ‘a Regency romance’. Anderson, who began as a commercial artist, stresses that ‘Design and presentation ... really matter. They’re the introduction to a book.’ It seems to me to be particularly unfortunate (although she may well have given it her blessing) that her new book sports a clichéd Ken Done cover. Perhaps Done’s bright colours might evoke the ‘warm zone’ of the title, although Anderson is referring to Brisbane, not Done’s mock-naïve view of Sydney. Unfortunately, the cover subliminally suggests that Anderson’s writing is sunnily comforting, easily assimilated.

Paul Salzman reviews 'Stories from the Warm Zone' by Jessica Anderson

Stories from the Warm Zone

by Jessica Anderson

Penguin, $9.95, 245 pp

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