How important is a book cover?

We've all heard the phrase "don't judge a book by its cover", of course it's usually applied to anything other than an actual book. But, it got me thinking about how important book covers actually are for sales. I'll admit, I'm a sucker for a good book cover. I'm unsure if its because I have magpie-like tendencies, and am usually drawn to anything shiny, or the fact that my boyfriends a graphic designer, and his design orientated ways have rubbed off on me.

Either way, every time I spot a beautifully decorated cover, I can't help but think about how it will adorn my bookshelf. I have become so obsessed with beautiful covers, I have started collecting the Penguin Classics clothbound books. (And as you can see from my blog header, I have a weakness for a beautifully designed book.)

As much as I hate to admit it, I am definitely more inclined to pick a gorgeously designed book, over something that looks boring and dull. That's not saying that I wouldn't read a book with a plain cover, but a pretty cover definitely helps.

That being said, many of the books that have various different designs, are usually classic literature, and I think that the up-dated design is important in order to keep the books up-to-date. For example, a young person might not necessarily want to read The Picture of Dorian Gray, due to how old the book is. However, I think that these lovely covers attract people that would not consciously pick out an old book to read for enjoyment.

And some book covers can become completely iconic. I for one, am unable to see a white cloud on a blue background without thinking about John Green's The Fault In Our Stars. Even though we'd all love to claim that it's the story that matters, and not the aesthetics, I think that covers are more important that we give them credit for.

That being said, I think there is something very charming about a beaten and battered old book. My boyfriend and I have brought lots of second hand books, some that have coffee stains, and pages falling out and even some secret notes written inside them. (Those are the best kinds!) However, if I came across a book like that, and I had not of heard of the story or author, I doubt I'd buy it.

I'm curious to know what you all think? Let me know in the comments or through Twitter @amandajtweets.

And in slightly related news, I've added to my beautifully designed book collection. I had brought a clothbound Alices Adventures in Wonderland book, however, after only a day of having it, some of the pages started falling out. They were lovely about it at the shop, and I was hoping to get a straight exchange, but there was no others in stock.

Luckily for me, I managed to find this beautiful library in the childrens section, for half the price of the one book! It's also given me an opportunity to finally get around to reading Little Women and The Secret Garden, which I surprisingly never got round to as a child.

And I got all of these books for half of their originally price (£7.50!) I'm not entirely sure how long the Waterstones half price sale is on for, but I'd nip in there as soon as you can to grab some bargains. I am very pleased with mine!