UK, 1975: Unlike the Italians, the Brits decided to update the fashion when this paperback was designed for Pan in the mid-70s. If it was less violent, there would be fewer bullets on the cover. That’s why there are so many bullets on the cover. USA, 1972: this pared-down edition from Vintage books has a clear message: this book will be violent.

This one also gets bonus points for actually relating to the plot, rather than recycling the iconography of pulp.ġ4. Russia, 1992: This cover design, with its powerful female figure at the forefront, seems unique in the annals of Red Harvest cover designs. The gaudy awards ribbon at the top seems to vouch for the quality of the writing, even as the scantily clad woman and her muscular rescuer promise entertainment up the wazoo.ġ5. Italy, 1975: At a time when American cover designs were getting increasingly stripped down to their minimalist cores, this cover from Milanese publisher Longanesi is still pulp AF. Competent, but sadly, less engaging than its inspirations.ġ6. Spain, 2013: This recent edition from publisher Alianza Editorial goes 1920s (we assume in honor of the novel’s origins), featuring elements of collage, strong red and black color contrast, and a small human figure ready to go up against forces much larger than himself. And because we have yet to achieve egalitarianism in the world, we ranked them.ġ7.

Red Harvest is one of Hammett’s most political works, and since his imprisonment by the US government for refusing to name names exacerbated his lifelong struggle with tuberculosis to cause his untimely demise, it seemed only fitting to round up the best covers of Hammett’s classic in honor of his life and his struggles. Red Harvest, in particular, has been the basis for four films, none of which have credited the book as their original source material an accident of accreditation that has led to fewer movie tie-in covers than other works by Hammett with more firmly established book-to-film lineages (and thus better covers). Chances are, if you’re reading this post, you’ve already read a few of his books, and seen several film adaptations of his works. Hammett (– January 10, 1961) both helped originate and define the American noir and hard-boiled crime writing styles, but we don’t need to tell you that. Today, alas, is the 58th anniversary of Dashiell Hammett’s death.

Cosecha roja by Dashiell Hammett