There are two things I am a stout defender of: Helvetica and negative space. Okay, maybe there are some others (pinot noir, Gena Rowlands, Topsy-Turvy), but as a designer, these are the two about which I am stalwart. Pelican, a Penguin imprint, utilized both to an almost otherworldly degree, especially in the 1960s and ‘70s. (Just LOOK!). Pelican’s design influence reached its apotheosis in the ‘70s, and Alcoholism is the acme of that particular period. I am 99% sure this is a David Pelham cover (feel free to comment in the Letters to the Editor section if you know otherwise) and it’s almost preposterously perfect. Let’s think about it.  What would make you pick up a cover about a disease? I love that the designer chose to balance the seriousness of the title with something we’ve all seen (or, because I know some of you are practically Amish, at least heard about): the pink elephant in the room. I love that you see the abrupt title — Alcoholism — and then you have a long visual pause (and mental one, actually) before the elephant makes any sense. I only wish that when I first saw the pink elephant (Freshman orientation party, PGA punch, Prince’s Purple Rain) there had been a strong title in the upper left-hand corner of my vision, in Helvetica Bold, offering a little bit of guidance. It really would have helped. Regardless, I think it’s a pretty ageless cover; if it showed up at my local Borders (faced out, of course!) I’d definitely notice it.