The Soul of Civility: Cover Unveiling!

Gracious reader,

I have some exciting news to share. We officially have a book cover!

My book, The Soul of Civility, is forthcoming from St. Martin’s Press in August 2023. It seems like a long way off, but I’m thrilled to be getting close to finally being able to share this work of art with you—a creation that I’ve been working on for nearly eight years of my life and—to some extent—my entire life.

Without further ado, here is the cover:

I’d like to invite you to share in the thought process that went into this cover and why I’m so thrilled with the finished product.

First, I yearned to harness the healing power of beauty to help me embody the ideas of my book, and the wonderful design team at St. Martin’s helped me do that with what I think is an uncommonly lovely cover.

Second, I adored the symbolism of the olive branch. It is the universal symbol of peace, reconciliation, friendship, and human harmony. It also invokes connotations of antiquity and the classical world, which has influenced me and which has formed our world today. The olive branch also represents rebirth and renewal. In the Hebrew Bible, after God has destroyed a fallen world with a flood, Noah sends a dove from the ark to see if habitable land remains. The dove returns with an olive branch, which symbolizes a fresh start and a new era for humanity.

The central visual metaphor of my book was civilization as a garden—the product of concerted effort, continuous care, and cultivation. The olive tree is among the oldest cultivated crops from the Ancient Mediterranean world. The olive tree symbolizes the fruitfulness that is possible when the joint project of human civilization—buttressed and nourished by our individual decision to live with civility—thrives.

Third, I wanted the cover itself to represent an active work of art, hence the subtle paint speckle. Can you envision the artist having just lifting her brush from the page as you hold the book in your hands?

Civilization itself—and the human social project generally—are works of human ingenuity and creation. It, like an olive grove, requires cultivation and continuous care. It takes the active effort of each of us to sustain it and see it thrive. As human beings, we are each also a creation capable of creating healing and beauty in our world—a central theme in my book.

So, what do you think?

I’d love to hear your responses to the cover and your reflections on its symbolism.

Write to me at ah@alexandraohudson.com

You can find out more about the book here:

I’m on set with The Teaching Company all this week, filming my course for Wondrium, called “Storytelling and the Human Condition,” but I wanted to take a minute away from filming preparation and share with you the exciting news about the cover! (For those who might be wondering, the course is being released in May 2023.)

Thank you all for being on this journey—of book writing, publication, and reflecting on timeless wisdom for living well in our own moment.

Your encouragement means the world, and I am thankful.

Warmly,

Lexi