--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I wouldn't buy a book simply because I…" description: "\"I wouldn't buy a book simply because I like the cover. I would pick it up. The jacket can call your attention to it. But in that sense, Oprah Winfrey i..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/chip-kidd-15285_attention_i-wouldn-t-buy-a-book-simply-because-i-l_1497411.jpg" --- # I wouldn't buy a book simply because I like the cover. I… ![“I wouldn't buy a book simply because I like the cover. I would pick it up. The jacket can call your attention to it. But in that sense, Oprah Winfrey is worth all the jackets in the world. A jacket is basically trying to do what she does all on her own.” quote by Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/chip-kidd-15285_attention_i-wouldn-t-buy-a-book-simply-because-i-l_1497411.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/chip-kidd-15285_attention_i-wouldn-t-buy-a-book-simply-because-i-l_1497411.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/60c/chip-kidd-15285_attention_i-wouldn-t-buy-a-book-simply-because-i-l_1497411.jpg) > “I wouldn't buy a book simply because I like the cover. I would pick it up. The jacket can call your attention to it. But in that sense, Oprah Winfrey is worth all the jackets in the world. A jacket is basically trying to do what she does all on her own.” [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The metaphor compares a book's cover to Oprah Winfrey's influence, implying that appearance can attract attention but true value lies deeper. **In simple terms:** Covers attract, but substance matters. Key Takeaway Look beyond surface appeal to real worth. Themes appearance influence value Mood thoughtful insightful Type critical reflective When to use this quote - book selection - advertising - personal branding - media influence Key Concepts marketing branding perception Questions to Reflect On - What deeper qualities should we seek? - How does branding affect perception? A Different Perspective Relying solely on appearance can be misleading. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Attention](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) [Book](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/book/) [Books](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/books/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) [Worth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/worth/) [Writer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/writer/) ## Related quotes > [“Like you were on the cover of Shadowhunters Weekly every month.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cassandra-clare/like-you-were-on-the-cover-of-shadowhunters-weekly-every-month/) [Cassandra Clare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cassandra-clare/) > [I like the cover," he said. "Don't Panic. It's the first helpful or intelligible thing anybody's said to me all day.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-adams/i-like-the-cover-he-said-don-t-panic-it-s-the-first-helpful-or/) [Douglas Adams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-adams/) > [When somebody says, 'I don't like your cover'... that's fair enough, but then this person has just written to me and said that they've…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/calum-scott/when-somebody-says-i-don-t-like-your-cover-that-s-fair-enough-but/) [Calum Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/calum-scott/) > [“This was the stuff of novels with -- yeah -- men like him on the cover.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/erin-kellison/this-was-the-stuff-of-novels-with-yeah-men-like-him-on-the-cover/) [Erin Kellison](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/erin-kellison/) > [I'd like to be on the cover of Forbes for 12 months straight.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/riff-raff/i-d-like-to-be-on-the-cover-of-forbes-for-12-months-straight/) [Riff Raff](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/riff-raff/) > [Sometimes people look at our covers and say, "That looks just like that other cover." I say, "And?" It reminds them of a cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-jones/sometimes-people-look-at-our-covers-and-say-that-looks-just-like-that/) [Sharon Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-jones/) > [I've always covered some Dylan songs. I do one or two. And I do them because they're great songs. You know some people cover…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sixto-rodriguez/i-ve-always-covered-some-dylan-songs-i-do-one-or-two-and-i-do-them/) [Sixto Rodriguez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sixto-rodriguez/) > [I like to do cover songs if I really love them, I have to love the song first.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-taylor/i-like-to-do-cover-songs-if-i-really-love-them-i-have-to-love-the/) [Paul Taylor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-taylor/) > [If you have music that sounds like what you cover, people won't be able to differentiate who you are.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sam-tsui/if-you-have-music-that-sounds-like-what-you-cover-people-won-t-be/) [Sam Tsui](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sam-tsui/) > [I know of at least two black women who are billionaires: Sheila Johnson, who co-founded BET, and Oprah Winfrey. And I know of hundreds…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/a-lelia-bundles/i-know-of-at-least-two-black-women-who-are-billionaires-sheila/) [A'Lelia Bundles](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/a-lelia-bundles/) > [Meeting Oprah Winfrey, I cried like a baby. Meeting Steven Spielberg, I cried like a baby. Meeting Denzel Washington, I gushed like a crazy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/octavia-spencer/meeting-oprah-winfrey-i-cried-like-a-baby-meeting-steven-spielberg-i/) [Octavia Spencer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/octavia-spencer/) > [I want to go to dinner with Oprah! Who doesn't?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amy-purdy/i-want-to-go-to-dinner-with-oprah-who-doesn-t/) [Amy Purdy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amy-purdy/) > [In the summer of 2012 - and we do as we do when we get together to brainstorm an idea - we were both…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lennon-parham/in-the-summer-of-2012-and-we-do-as-we-do-when-we-get-together-to/) [Lennon Parham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lennon-parham/) > [No one's going to pay you to be a husband, unless you marry Oprah.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fad-ibra/no-one-s-going-to-pay-you-to-be-a-husband-unless-you-marry-oprah/) [Fad Ibra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fad-ibra/) > [Oprah's stock in trade has always been her powerful unmediated connection. She could feel your pain and empower you to talk about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tina-brown/oprah-s-stock-in-trade-has-always-been-her-powerful-unmediated/) [Tina Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tina-brown/) ## More by Chip Kidd > [Yes, Garnett Grey was an Architect. Were a psychoanalyst to approach him from behind, tap his shoulder, and say 'Humanity,' Garrett'd spin and respond,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/yes-garnett-grey-was-an-architect-were-a-psychoanalyst-to-approach/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I often get asked, 'Is the book dead?' It hasn't happened yet. It's different than music. Music was always meant to be pure sound…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-often-get-asked-is-the-book-dead-it-hasn-t-happened-yet-it-s/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Much is to be gained by eBooks: ease, convenience, portability. But something is definitely lost: tradition, a sensual experience, the comfort of thingy-ness -…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/much-is-to-be-gained-by-ebooks-ease-convenience-portability-but/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“On the first day of class, the Visual Arts building reclined before me like an old brick whore, egging me to show her one,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/on-the-first-day-of-class-the-visual-arts-building-reclined-before-me/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [Hey, have you heard that one about the difference between me, Wit, and my loutish cousin, Hilarity? No? Okay, so I walk into a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/hey-have-you-heard-that-one-about-the-difference-between-me-wit-and/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“(...) photography opened up quite a little Pandora's box, kiddies. (...) 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Graphic Design gives you ideas.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/commercial-art-tries-to-make-you-buy-things-graphic-design-gives-you/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [What people really want, no matter who they are, is someone to listen to them. ... people have a lot on their minds, however…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/what-people-really-want-no-matter-who-they-are-is-someone-to-listen/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [If you intend to die, you can do anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/if-you-intend-to-die-you-can-do-anything/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“We are the Western World. We read, see, think. Left. To. Right. We can't help it. ..The problem with Top to Bottom is that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/we-are-the-western-world-we-read-see-think-left-to-right-we-can-t/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“Never let your mouth write a check that your ass can't cash.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/never-let-your-mouth-write-a-check-that-your-ass-can-t-cash/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“Graphic Design for its own sake will never happen, because the concept cancels itself out — a poster about nothing other than itself is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/graphic-design-for-its-own-sake-will-never-happen-because-the-concept/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“He was the most astonishing contradiction of components I’d ever encountered. Shy yet fiercely communicative when putting an idea into your head. Vocally astringent…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/he-was-the-most-astonishing-contradiction-of-components-i-d-ever/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [I had no idea what I was doing, I had no idea where I was going, but at some point I stopped — when…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/i-had-no-idea-what-i-was-doing-i-had-no-idea-where-i-was-going-but-at/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) > [“But at the end of the day, you can't major in Making Stuff, so it was Art by default.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chip-kidd/but-at-the-end-of-the-day-you-can-t-major-in-making-stuff-so-it-was/) [Chip Kidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) [Explore all 43 Chip Kidd quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chip-kidd/) ## More Attention quotes > [It appears to me that one great cause of our difference in opinion on subjects which we often discuss is that you have always…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-ricardo/it-appears-to-me-that-one-great-cause-of-our-difference-in-opinion-on/) [David Ricardo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-ricardo/) > [People pay far too much attention to the television and they're quite literal in some ways. At the beginning, when I was playing very…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ardal-o-hanlon/people-pay-far-too-much-attention-to-the-television-and-they-re-quite/) [Ardal O'Hanlon](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ardal-o-hanlon/) > [Television, radio, social media. The 24/7 news cycle plows forward mercilessly on our desks, in our cars and in our pockets. Thousands and thousands…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joseph-prince/television-radio-social-media-the-24-7-news-cycle-plows-forward/) [Joseph Prince](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joseph-prince/) > [By making conscious choices in our behavior and where we focus our attention, we can transform our experience of our body, decrease our biological…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepak-chopra/by-making-conscious-choices-in-our-behavior-and-where-we-focus-our/) [Deepak Chopra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepak-chopra/) > [Our inventions are wont to be pretty toys, which distract our attention from serious things. They are but improved means to an unimproved end.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-david-thoreau/our-inventions-are-wont-to-be-pretty-toys-which-distract-our/) [Henry David Thoreau](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-david-thoreau/) > [What people don't normally know about us is the hustle is very real, and it's sorely driven a lot by how we consider ourselves.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lzzy-hale/what-people-don-t-normally-know-about-us-is-the-hustle-is-very-real/) [Lzzy Hale](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lzzy-hale/) > [For me, the term "psychotherapy" is limiting. It implies that we work with mind and emotions, but excludes the body and pays scant attention…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jed-diamond/for-me-the-term-psychotherapy-is-limiting-it-implies-that-we-work/) [Jed Diamond](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jed-diamond/) > [When you approach something to photograph it, first be still with yourself until the object of your attention affirms your presence. Then don't leave…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/minor-white/when-you-approach-something-to-photograph-it-first-be-still-with/) [Minor White](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/minor-white/) > [I'm writing about real things. Real people. Real characters. You have to believe what I write about is true or you wouldn't pay any…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lou-reed/i-m-writing-about-real-things-real-people-real-characters-you-have-to/) [Lou Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lou-reed/) > [ I went to a mosque in Philadelphia with \[my wife\] in December 24, 1999. And we we went to this mosque in Philly, and… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mahershala-ali/i-went-to-a-mosque-in-philadelphia-with-my-wife-in-december-24-1999/) [Mahershala Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mahershala-ali/) > [The Harvard Business Review recently had an article called 'The Human Moment,' about how to make real contact with a person at work: ...…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-goleman/the-harvard-business-review-recently-had-an-article-called-the-human/) [Daniel Goleman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-goleman/) > [Let us thank God heartily as often as we pray that we have His Spirit in us to teach us to pray. Thanksgiving will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-murray/let-us-thank-god-heartily-as-often-as-we-pray-that-we-have-his-spirit/) [Andy Murray](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-murray/) > [Enlightened people live in very charged states of attention, with a tremendous power circuiting through them.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frederick-lenz/enlightened-people-live-in-very-charged-states-of-attention-with-a/) [Frederick Lenz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frederick-lenz/) > [We must have a welfare system that we can afford, which will mean giving greater attention to directing the welfare program toward its primary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-portillo/we-must-have-a-welfare-system-that-we-can-afford-which-will-mean/) [Michael Portillo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-portillo/) > [The director's job should give you a sense of music without drawing attention to itself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/taylor-hackford/the-director-s-job-should-give-you-a-sense-of-music-without-drawing/) [Taylor Hackford](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/taylor-hackford/) [Browse all 10,153 Attention quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attention/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "I wouldn't buy a book simply because I like the cover. 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