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An open book on a yellow background features black and white linocut illustrations. One page shows a city road leading towards a building with the word “ELYSIUM” on its facade.

If short stories and graphic design float your boat then check out The Penguin Plays Rough

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Date
16 October 2012

Yeah yeah, we all love the internet: the whole world at your fingertips and all that cliched (yet undeniably true) jibber jabber. But I tell you what I really really love; books. Books are great. They may not have the whole world accounted for, but designed well, books can conquer all.

So when we stumbled across the beautifully designed The Penguin Plays Rough Book of Short Stories by talented graphic design duo Plüs Aktïön (or Stuart for those who like to keep things simple) and Elise Santangelo we were utterly struck by its loveliness.

The accompanying book to live monthly fiction readings held in a Sydney warehouse (yes it is high up there on the cool culture-vulture stakes), the book is a beautiful collection of illustrative brilliance, typographic experimentation and tasty graphic design. Attempting to catch the energy of each of the readings by presenting them in a vivid and noisy way, this talented duo have well and truly hit the nail on the head!

An open book lies flat against a bright yellow background. The right-hand page features the title “The Penguin Plays Rough Book of Short Stories” in bold, black typography.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

A person holds open a notebook against a bright yellow background. The left page features bold red text that reads “LUKE CARMAN” and “ALL THAT PAIN”.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

An open book on a yellow background shows a black and white illustration of tangled figures. Bold text across the centre reads “THE END”, with the words “fick” and “dooom!” written below.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

An open book lies flat against a bright yellow background. The left page features the headline “STORY NOTES”, while the right page contains a block of text and a small, grainy red photograph.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

An open book on a bright yellow background. The pages feature red borders with white line drawings of stylized animals and columns of text.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

An open book lies flat against a bright yellow background. Red text across the pages reads “A STO DIAOLO”, with two small oval illustrations of figures below.
Above

Plus Aktion and Elise Santangelo: The Penguin Plays Rough

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