Better Books was an independent bookstore . It was founded by Tony Godwin and was located at 94 Charing Cross Road , London . The shop was a significant location in the 1960s counterculture movement in London.
17-495: It was founded by British publisher Tony Godwin who took over the premises at 94 Charing Cross Road , London, in 1946. In 1964, Tony Godwin visited San Francisco and the City Lights Bookstore . He met Lawrence Ferlinghetti and suggested a work exchange, whereby Ferlinghetti would send "one of his Beats over in exchange for an English salesman who needed some education". City Lights store manager Dick McBride moved to
34-705: A bookstore in Ann Arbor, Michigan , from whence he was recruited by the Borders brothers with a promise of a partnership which never materialized, to set up, stock, and manage their first flagship store, also in Ann Arbor. Better Books was once described as a "mini Arts Lab ", and served as stage, cinema and gallery. Its cross-disciplinary approach welcomed new art forms such as assemblage, performance art, and radical poetry. Together with other alternative galleries, including 26 Kingly Street and Miles' Indica Bookshop , Better Books
51-473: A relationship with Andrea Gayler; and two daughters, models Lily Aldridge and Ruby Aldridge , and a son, James, from his second marriage to Laura Lyons , which also ended in divorce. He has 11 grandchildren. On 17 February 2017, his daughter Lily announced his death via Instagram. Aldridge first worked as an illustrator at The Sunday Times Magazine . After doing some freelance book covers for Penguin Books , he
68-456: A successful landscape photographer after they separated in 1969. They had two sons Nicholas and Jeremy. Nicholas went on to become a documentary maker. Godwin died suddenly in New York City in 1976 from an asthma attack, aged 56. Novelist John Berger said of Godwin, "[N]ow that he is dead I feel like an orphan." Alan Aldridge Alan Aldridge (8 July 1938 – 17 February 2017)
85-482: Is possibly best known for the picture book The Butterfly Ball and the Grasshopper Feast (1973), a series of illustrations of anthropomorphic insects and other creatures, which he created in collaboration with Harry Willock. William Plomer wrote the accompanying verses. This was based on William Roscoe 's poem of the same name, but was inspired when Aldridge read that John Tenniel had told Lewis Carroll it
102-566: The United Kingdom for six months to help "bohemianize" Better Books. Better Books had a string of influential managers including Bill Butler, Bob Cobbing and Barry Miles , who set about ordering a large quantity of books from City Lights and Grove Press . Another manager, of the American and underground wing, was David Kozubei, who was later invited to the United States to run and radicalize
119-456: The 1960s and 1970s, he was responsible for a great many album covers , and helped create the graphic style of that era. He designed a series of science fiction book covers for Penguin Books. He made a big impression with his illustrations for the book The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics . He also provided illustrations for The Penguin Book of Comics , a history of British and American comic art. His work
136-900: The 1960s/1970s. His contribution to the publishing industry is recognized in the form of the Tony Godwin Memorial Trust . Born in Ledbury , he started the avant-garde bookshop Better Books in Charing Cross Road , where author Barry Miles worked. He also ran Bumpus Books and the City Bookshop in London . In May 1960, Godwin was recruited to join the senior editorial group at Penguin Books and rose to Chief Editor. He sought to update editorial and design policies. With this aim in mind, he hired Germano Facetti in January 1961, who replaced
153-506: The book. A row over the book led to Godwin being fired by Penguin's founder, Allen Lane. Godwin went on to become managing director of publisher Weidenfeld and Nicolson , and in 1972 crossed the Atlantic to start his own imprint under the umbrella of American publisher Harcourt Brace Jovanovitch. Godwin published many high-profile writers such as Edna O'Brien and Len Deighton. In 1961, Godwin married his second wife, Fay Godwin , who became
170-611: The city's "alternative" scene during the 1970s. It followed a similar policy to the London shop, and was used as a venue for poetry readings during the Edinburgh Festival . 51°30′50″N 0°7′45.5″W / 51.51389°N 0.129306°W / 51.51389; -0.129306 Tony Godwin Anthony Richard James Wylie Godwin (17 December 1919 – 15 March 1976) was an influential British publisher of
187-536: The original Penguin cover design system with the grid layout. He also brought in another designer Alan Aldridge who pushed for a more radical transformation. Godwin established the Penguin Modern Classics subseries in 1961 and The English Library series in 1965. In 1967, Godwin published Penguin's English edition of acclaimed French cartoonist Siné 's periodical Massacre . It contained anti-clerical cartoons and Foyles book store chain refused to stock
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#1733085751510204-543: Was a British artist, graphic designer and illustrator. He is best known for his psychedelic artwork made for books and record covers by The Beatles and The Who . Aldridge was born in North London and lived in Los Angeles, California. He is survived by 8 children: fashion photographer Miles Aldridge , model and social activist Saffron Aldridge and Marc from his first marriage to Rita Farthing; two sons, Pim and Toby, from
221-541: Was characterised by a flowing, cartoony style and soft airbrushing – very much in step with the psychedelic styles of the times. His work includes the 1971 anti-war poster entitled A great place for hamburgers but who'd want to live there! In February 1969, Aldridge designed the graphics for the controversial Jane Arden play Vagina Rex and the Gas Oven at the London Arts Laboratory , Drury Lane . Aldridge
238-656: Was described by Jeff Nuttall as "the first healing wind on a very parched collective mind" and in Peace News , Tom McGrath wrote: "This could well turn out to have been a very significant moment in the history of England - or at least in the history of English Poetry". Shortly after the reading at Better Books, plans were hatched for the International Poetry Incarnation . Later, another shop called Better Books opened in Forrest Road, Edinburgh and became part of
255-514: Was hired in March 1965 by Penguin's chief editor Tony Godwin to become the art director of Penguin. Over the next two years as art director, he especially focused on science fiction book covers and introduced his style which resonated with the mood of the time. In 1968 he moved to his own graphic-design firm, INK, which became closely involved with graphic images for the Beatles and Apple Corps . During
272-825: Was impossible to draw a wasp in a wig . Aldridge created the artwork for Elton John 's 1975 album Captain Fantastic and the Brown Dirt Cowboy . In 1977, he created an advertisement illustration for the Dutch beer brand Heineken . He was the creator of the Hard Rock Café logo. A retrospective Alan Aldridge – the Man with the Kaleidoscope Eyes featured at the Design Museum in London from 10 October 2008 to 25 January 2009, and
289-533: Was one of the hot spots of the London underground scene. It was home to the Better Books Writers Nights and in March 1965 it housed the sTigma Environmental Exhibition , inspired by Alex Trocchi 's Sigma, A Tactical Blueprint and featuring a contribution by Jeff Nuttall . Allen Ginsberg arrived at Better Books in May 1965, and offered to read anywhere for free. Ginsberg's first reading at Better Books
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