Comments on: Judge This Cover: Dogeaters

By: Drew

Drew — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 18:21:29 +0000

Veeerrry interesting. Definitally a book I would at least pick up and flip through in a bookstore/library.

I actually find the cover to be brilliant, even though I have no idea what the book itself is about.

By: Lisa

Lisa — Sun, 08 Mar 2009 21:02:03 +0000

I agree with Callista - that is the strangest cover I think I've ever seen. And no, I don't think I would read the book for many reasons! That's just freaky. Lisa’s latest blog post:Library Loot - Feb 11 - 17

By: Callista

Callista — Sat, 07 Mar 2009 01:30:31 +0000

Wow that is just WEIRD! Actually no I wouldn't read the book because of the cover. But it should win a prize for weirdest cover. Callista’s latest blog post:Booking Through Thursday - Best Books

By: mee

mee — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 22:54:48 +0000

Christine, the title kinda makes sense now. I saw the real painting from the link that glumpuddle gave. Wasn't very attractive either. mee’s latest blog post:Dewey’s Books Reading Challenge

By: glumpuddle

glumpuddle — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:24:44 +0000

woops, I do have something. the artist is also from the Philippines. Maybe that’s the connection?

By: glumpuddle

glumpuddle — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 16:22:11 +0000

i got nuttin – you’ve read the book, does this shed light?

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 13:40:40 +0000

Ooh, good researching. So now we've got a reversed, be-oranged copy of Polemics of Life. From the original painting, it looks like the gaping torso wound is revealing stomach and intestinal matter; it's not a womb after all. Oh, and there's a lizard, which I totally didn't notice until now. Curiouser and curiouser. And of course, we have to ask whether the title of the piece illuminates anything about the painting. Here's the definition of polemics from our friends at Miriam-Webster: 1 a: an aggressive attack on or refutation of the opinions or principles of another b: the art or practice of disputation or controversy —usually used in plural but singular or plural in construction 2: an aggressive controversialist : disputant Okay, go!

By: glumpuddle

glumpuddle — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 06:02:43 +0000

totally just noticed that the cover is reversed from the painting.
huh

By: glumpuddle

glumpuddle — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 05:59:52 +0000

http://www.olvera-street.com/html/polemics_of_life.html

Apparently the cover is a reproduction of an oil paint called “Polemics of Life.” And you should see the other paintings…
http://www.olvera-street.com/html/work_of_papo_de_asis.html

By: Christine

Christine — Fri, 06 Mar 2009 03:50:37 +0000

Well, mee, the title is relevant to a certain point. It’s a novel about the Philippines in the 1950s and 1970s — and probably most of us are familiar with the ethnic stereotype/slur that Asians eat dogs. Nobody does eat a dog in the novel, although the term “dogeater” is used a few times as a slur. There’s also a reference to someone who is poor and worried that “soon there won’t be anything to eat but dogs” (not an exact quote, but that’s the idea). So, it’s a strange choice, but it at least does tie in with certain elements of the narrative.

The cover, though? I’ve got nothing.