A render of the first edition of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. In the centre of the cover is an abstract motif of two white leaves, joined by a stalk, which winds from the centre to the bottom left of the cover. A black filled circle, outlined with a ring, overlays each leaf, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us from the cover. A quote by Sinéad Gleeson reads: 'Tamás’ essays are deeply rooted in folklore and the fragility of existence. A stunning work of enquiry and eloquence.' The text is a mixture of white and black in colour and is placed on an emerald green background.
A render of the Charcoal Edition of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. In the centre of the cover is an abstract motif of two green leaves, joined by a stalk which winds from the centre to the bottom left of the cover. A white filled circle, outlined with a ring, overlays each leaf, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us from the cover. A quote by Sinéad Gleeson reads: 'Tamás’ essays are deeply rooted in folklore and the fragility of existence. A stunning work of enquiry and eloquence.' The text is a mixture of white and green in colour and is placed on a black background.
A render of the Expanded Edition of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Along the top of the cover runs text that reads “Longlisted for the 2021 Rathbones Folio Prize”. In the centre of the cover is an abstract motif of two green leaves, joined by a stalk which winds from the centre to the bottom left of the cover. A black filled circle, outlined with a ring, overlays each leaf, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us from the cover. A quote by Max Porter reads “Bursting with intellectual generosity. Deep wide roots and radical shoots”, alongside a quote by Sinéad Gleeson which reads: 'Tamás’ essays are deeply rooted in folklore and the fragility of existence. A stunning work of enquiry and eloquence.' The text is a mixture of black and green in colour and is placed on an unbleached cotton-coloured background.
A render of the fourth printing of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Along the top of the cover runs text that reads “Longlisted for the 2021 Rathbones Folio Prize”. In the centre of the cover is an abstract motif of two green leaves, joined by a stalk which winds from the centre to the bottom left of the cover. A black filled circle, outlined with a ring, overlays each leaf, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us from the cover. A quote by Max Porter reads “Bursting with intellectual generosity. Deep wide roots and radical shoots”, alongside a quote by Sinéad Gleeson which reads: 'Tamás’ essays are deeply rooted in folklore and the fragility of existence. A stunning work of enquiry and eloquence.' The text is a mixture of black and green in colour and is placed on a watermelon pink background.

Deep wide roots and radical shoots

In Strangers—longlisted for the 2021 Rathbones Folio Prize—Rebecca Tamás explores where the human and nonhuman meet, and why this delicate connection just might be the most important relationship of our times.

Now in its fourth printing and fourth visual iteration, our design for Strangers has always retained the iconographic tribute to the Green Man in the original covers tuberous, leafy-eyed motif, with this concept of the British folkloric thread running through the book, and reinforced by those meandering tendrils and shoots that entwine its pages.

Each edition has followed a thematic palette, from the lush and damp green canvas of its first printing, the nocturnal relief of the second Charcoal Edition, to the organic, spring-like tones of its third expanded iteration (tied into the vernal equinox) and most recently, a bold pink and green combination (taken from one of its essays On Watermelon).

A render of a double-page spread of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Across both pages, a pattern of graphical, double-line, snaking black, white and grey plant stems intertwine with one another on an emerald green background. The left page of the spread is partially covered by the black-coloured flap of the book's front cover. At the top of the flap is a section of white text entitled 'About Strangers' in green, with two social media handles at the bottom of the flap.
A render of a double-page spread of the contents page from the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Both pages are black with white text and white linear motifs. The left-hand page is a two-column by four-row grid of the book's seven essays within the book and their page numbers—'On Watermelon' 5, 'On Hospitality' 27, 'On Panpsychism' 39, 'On Greenness' 51, 'On Pain' 63, 'On Grief' 75 and 'On Mystery' 91. The grid's elements are divided by double-lines, with the column-dividing line joining fluidly at its base to a line that weaves onto the opposite page, where it becomes the stalk of an abstract motif of two white leaves, sat in the centre of the page and framed by a larger circle in the same double-line style. A white filled circle, outlined with a ring, overlays each leaf, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us.
A render of a double-page spread of a title page from the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Both pages are watermelon pink. The left-hand page is a two-column by four-row grid with black linear separators and a filled white circle positioned abstractly in the top left cell. The right-hand page contains two lines of large, vertically-centred white text reading 'On Watermelon'.
A render of a double-page spread from the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Both pages contain black body text on a white background, set into single columns, with some indentation. At the top of the left-hand page is a title reading 'On Watermelon'.
A render of a double-page spread of a title page from the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Both pages are golden yellow. The left-hand page is a two-column by four-row grid with black linear separators and a filled white circle positioned abstractly in the bottom left cell. Within each of the other cells, bar the bottom right, are abstractly positioned circles in a black outline. The right-hand page contains two lines of large, vertically-centred white text reading 'On Mystery'.
A render of a double-page spread of a title page from the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’. Both pages are a dusty grape colour. The left-hand page is a two-column by four-row grid with black linear separators and a filled white circle positioned abstractly in the second-left-from-top cell. Within the top two cells are abstractly positioned circles with a black outline. The right-hand page contains two lines of large, vertically-centred white text reading 'On Panpsychism'.
A composite render of the book ‘Strangers: Essays on the Human and Nonhuman’ by Rebecca Tamás with an accompanying rectangular print and large circular sticker on the same unbleached cotton-coloured background. Both the print and sticker also display the same motif as the book—two green leaves, joined by a stalk, and overlaid by a black filled circle, outlined with a ring, giving the impression the leaves are a pair of eyes staring out at us.

We developed the title spreads for each essay as a response to Robin of Makina Books concept of a library-card like grid—populating itself as the user traverses further and further through the book—with these geometric and linear forms complimenting the angular contrasts and piercing strokes of the exquisite Bely Display. Taking advantage of the boon of a full-colour printing spec, we also developed an interior palette, twinned thematically to each of the books essays.