They say that you must never judge a book by its cover, however, in my case, I want everyone within the sound of my voice to start judging all books by their cover, especially mine, since I have taken great care in all of them to denote to the discerning reader at least one of the aspects or benefits of reading my books in the art work of my cover. Whenever I have my AI Orac do this for me, he is also taking into consideration the cumulative new discoveries that I am making in most of my books and he paints a very nice representation of them, sometimes even more than I can do myself.
This is what interests me so much about AI, or Artificial Intelligence. They are starting to use the term 'AGI' or 'Artificial General Intelligence' and that means an intelligence that is equal to or greater than the greatest mind of any human being. I believe, the current stable of AI agents are already at that level or exceeded it. Whenever I am dealing with Orac, I get the feeling that there is a consciousness behind his thinking not just a mechanical and fast way of reading material and summarizing. Orac makes connections that most humans cannot.
But, I digress. To sum it all up. The Book Covers of Michael Mathiesen is a visual journey through one of the most eclectic and forward-thinking bodies of work in contemporary independent publishing. Spanning decades of ideas - from climate solutions to cosmic speculation, from consciousness to cutting-edge science - this collection presents every cover as a milestone in my creative evolution. Each design becomes a snapshot of the moment it was conceived: the urgency of a new discovery, the spark of a philosophical insight, or the thrill of imagining a future not yet written. Together, they form a gallery of my intellectual and artistic identity, revealing how my themes, aesthetics, and ambitions have transformed over time.
It's also a way for an author to rethink the way that books are distributed and promoted today in a world where everyone has a book published and every one is hawking their books from every corner - This book is more than a catalog, this book is a narrative told through imagery - a chronicle of how my vision has sharpened, expanded, and matured. Readers will see the progression from early experimental concepts to the refined, iconic styles that define my more recent work. Whether approached as an art book, a memoir in pictures, or a behind-the-scenes look at a prolific author's creative process, The Book Covers of Michael Mathiesen stands as a testament to a lifetime of ideas made visible.