Podcast Summary: "What Should I Read Next?" – Ep 494: Books Brimming with Creativity, Philosophy, and Grace

Host: Anne Bogel
Guest: Sarah Kellogg, Book Cover Designer
Date: September 16, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives into the creative, philosophical, and graceful aspects of reading and book cover design. Host Anne Bogel is joined by Sarah Kellogg, a cover designer at a Big 5 publisher, to discuss Sarah's journey as a reader and creative professional, the intricacies of book cover design, and the intersection of art, literature, and work. The conversation showcases the power of introspective books, the collaborative and empathetic nature of design, and offers thoughtfully curated reading recommendations that reflect themes of creativity, philosophy, and grace.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Introducing Sarah Kellogg (05:34–06:59)

• Background: Sarah is a book cover designer who started her career in NYC and now works remotely from Dallas, Texas. She lives with her husband and their two cats.
• Creative Balance: Sarah emphasizes the importance of balancing mental and physical activities:
  • "If you are working all day with your mind, it's good to rest with your hands." (07:10, Sarah)
  • Her ways to unwind include cooking, walking, running, and Pilates.

2. Reading Life and Personal Taste (08:49–11:37)

• Sarah grew up surrounded by books and art and was deeply influenced by her mother and brother.
• She enjoys challenging reads and classics (e.g., "The Brothers Karamazov"), and appreciates books with introspective, quiet tones that are character-driven.
• Values themes such as grace, faith, human nature, family, and friendship.
  • "I just enjoy, like, more quiet, introspective books that are more character driven... I love a good character study." (10:41, Sarah)

3. The Craft of Book Cover Design (11:45–29:23)

• Workflows & Process:
  • Design cycles are seasonal, working 9–12 months in advance.
  • Briefs are always provided, with varying levels of input from authors and publishers.
  • Fiction covers often require more manuscript reading for inspiration, while nonfiction is generally more straightforward.
  • Sarah walks through her hands-on creative process for specific covers, e.g., wrapping books for "This Is For You" (15:20–18:27) and researching New Zealand swamps for "The Myers."
• Collaboration & Empathy:
  • Design is highly collaborative and requires empathy to balance the needs and feedback of authors, publishers, and stakeholders.
  • High rate of rejection for initial designs – resilience is crucial.
  • Notable moment: "There's a ton of rejection involved in cover design... you can't be too tied up to your work." (21:53, Sarah)
• Design Aesthetics:
  • Sarah strives to avoid a singular "style," preferring versatility.
  • She admires innovative use of typography and illustration, especially designers like Na Kim, Sarah Wood, Tree Abraham, and Kelly Winton (26:00).

4. Impact of Work on Reading Life (28:22–29:23)

• Work satisfies her curiosity about new and forthcoming books, while personal reading often skews towards backlist and classics.
• Finds joy in reading and working on books she loves but also notes it can make designing their covers more challenging.

5. Sarah’s Favorite (and Not Favorite) Books (33:06–43:58)

The Three Books She Loves:

• "Till We Have Faces" by C.S. Lewis
  • A philosophical retelling of the myth of Cupid and Psyche, from the perspective of the “ugly” sister.
  • Explores love in all its forms, possessiveness, and redemption.
  • “It’s so richly layered and explores some of my favorite themes... The kind of book that I could read and reread a hundred times.” (34:19, Sarah)
• "Walking on Water" by Madeleine L'Engle
  • Nonfiction meditation on creativity and the artist’s life.
  • A favorite quote: “Stories are able to help us to become more whole, to become named. And naming is one of the impulses behind all art, to give a name to the cosmos we see despite all the chaos.” (37:38, Sarah, quoting L’Engle)
• "Gilead" by Marilynne Robinson
  • Slow, thoughtful novel about faith, family, and grace.
  • Sarah praises both its content and cover design (by Na Kim).
  • “It’s just such a beautifully written book and touches on all of my favorite themes... philosophy and theology and, and family and of course, grace.” (40:26, Sarah)

A Book That Didn’t Work for Her:

• "Tom Lake" by Ann Patchett
  • Despite loving Patchett’s other works, Sarah could not connect with the characters in this novel.
  • "It always felt like there was sort of a hazy curtain between me and the characters... I never felt like I was really there in that cherry orchard.” (41:19, Sarah)

Notable Recent Reads:

• "The Neapolitan Quartet" by Elena Ferrante: Loved the depth and intensity.
• "Oh William" by Elizabeth Strout: Finds Strout’s character-driven writing comforting and full of grace.

6. What Sarah Is Looking for Next (45:00)

• Seeks character-driven novels across genres that incorporate themes of grace, philosophy, theology, and human nature. Less interested in horror unless for work.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On the Subjectivity of Art:
  “Art in general is so subjective. What I find really enticing might not be what other people find enticing...” (24:20, Sarah)
• On Empathy in Design:
  “The goal isn’t just to make something that I find beautiful. The goal is to make something that is going to package the author’s words well so that they can get their voice out into the world.” (21:23, Sarah)
• On Creativity:
  “I just love that idea of walking into the chaos and finding the cosmos... and that being part of this creative journey.” (37:45, Sarah on L’Engle’s concept)

Recommended Reading (Anne’s Picks for Sarah)

1. "The Supper of the Lamb: A Culinary Reflection" by Robert Farrar Capon

(48:31–50:34)

• Blends food writing, philosophy, and reflections on life. Balances the quotidian with spiritual insight.
• "He’s funny and wry... calls him to think about and how really...it grounds him and his life right now, but also his big life and the broader life shared by all humanity."

2. "The Housekeeper and the Professor" by Yoko Ogawa

(50:34–54:15)

• A slim Japanese novel about memory, mathematics, and found family; asks big philosophical questions in gentle, understated ways.
• “He remains the same person, rediscovering a life every day, but no one else has the same experience he does.” (Host Anne)

3. "How to Read a Book" by Monica Wood

(55:03–58:17)

• A poignant novel about people brought together by loss and literature; reflects on grace, redemption, and the power of books to connect.
• "Their lives have all been marked by tragedy, thrown horribly off course. And yet the way they find their way to each other...is really moving."

4. Kent Haruf’s Holt, Colorado novels

(58:40–60:16)

• For fans of Robinson and Strout; quiet, introspective stories of ordinary lives transformed by understated moments of connection and grace.
• “These are stories of people unrelated by blood who face hard things, often lonely, are brought together and something quietly shifts in their lives.”

Segment Timestamps for Key Topics

• Sarah’s Introduction & Background: 05:34–08:49
• Her Reading Life: 08:49–11:37
• Book Cover Design Process: 11:45–29:23
• Designers She Admires: 25:55–26:56
• Favorite Projects: 27:15–29:23
• Personal Book Preferences: 33:06–46:22
• Book Recommendations for Sarah: 47:10–61:15

Episode Tone & Atmosphere

The conversation is warm, reflective, and deeply bookish, with an encouraging, gentle approach to creativity and reading. Both Anne and Sarah sustain an atmosphere of mutual admiration and literary curiosity.

Conclusion: Where Sarah Will Start Next

Sarah selects "The Supper of the Lamb" as her next read, affectionately called "the Ginger pick" after Anne’s colleague Ginger, who shares her reading tastes.

"Definitely all of them, but I think I’m going to start with the Ginger Pick. The Supper of the Lamb." (60:52, Sarah)

To recap:
This episode provides a thoughtful window into the worlds of book design and introspective reading, blending insight, empathy, and expert reading suggestions. It’s a must-listen for readers interested in the creative process—both in making books and choosing what to read next.