I love books, especially the classics. And lately, I’ve been tinkering with AI image generation from Stable Diffusion. This got me to thinking: what if I asked AI to create book covers for the most popular books of all-time? In each case, I only prompted the AI with the title of the book. I let it’s own “imagination” take care of the rest. The results are very impressive! Take a look.
P.S. Thanks to James Clear for the list of the top 10 best-selling books of all-time.
Don Quixote
by Miguel de Cervantes
The biggest-selling book of all-time is of course Don Quixote, from the legendary Spanish author Miquel de Cervantes.
This is a classic novel which portrays the life and insightful journey of Don Quixote de la Mancha, a Spanish man who seems to be losing his mind on his quest to become a knight and restore chivalry. He travels with his constant companion, Sancho Panza, with whom he fights multiple imaginary enemies and faces a series of fantastic challenges.
It was originally published in two parts, ten years apart, in 1605 and 1615.
The AI chose to depict the title character, riding on his horse.
A Tale of Two Cities
by Charles Dickens
This classic story from prolific author Charles Dickens tells the story of the French Doctor Manette, his nearly two decade imprisonment in the Bastille in Paris, and his release to live in London with his daughter Lucie whom he had never met. The story is set against the backdrop of the French Revolution and the Reign of Terror that followed.
The “two cities” from the book are of course London and Paris, and here the AI has attempted to depict them both in that time period.
The Lord of the Rings
by J.R.R. Tolkien
In a hole in the ground there lived a hobbit, and his name was Baggins…
Three rings for the Elven-kings under the sky,
Seven for the Dwarf-lords in their halls of stone,
Nine for Mortal Men doomed to die,
One for the Dark Lord on his dark throne
In the Land of Mordor where the shadows lie….
Of course you know that story—one of those old legends people used to tell when they thought evil lurked everywhere. This tale follows the journey of a fellowship of humans, elves, dwarves, and hobbits as they try to destroy the One Ring in the land where it was forged.
The AI decided to depict the fellowship in a movie-poster style.
The Little Prince
by Antoine de Saint-Exupery
The Little Prince is a simple children’s tale that is beloved for its warmth and beauty. Of course, the AI chose to depict the young boy set against a night sky with planets high above.
Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone
by J.K. Rowling
It’s hard to deny the power and popularity of the Harry Potter book series, which also went on to be an incredibly successful movie franchise. The AI depicts Harry Potter, casting a spell with his magic wand. We’re not really sure why the AI decided to give Harry two right arms, but we’ll just go with it.
And Then There Were None
by Agatha Christie
And Then There Were None is a classic Agatha Christie novel where a group of unconnected people are brought together to a mysterious island. Each person has a troubled past, and they confront each other. A deep mystery unfolds as the guests begin dying one by one, and they must work together to determine the identity of the killer.
The Dream of the Red Chamber
by Cao Xueqin
The Dream of the Red Chamber is widely considered to be a classic of Chinese literature. It follows the tale of the son of a wealthy family. He is born with a magic stone in his mouth. A darling and admirer of all the women and girls in the household, he rebels against his father and society. After his family crushes his romantic love affair with his favorite cousin, both lovers renounce earthly life.
The Hobbit
by J.R.R. Tolkien
This is the legendary prequel to The Lord of the Rings and follows the story of Bilbo Baggins, a reluctant adventurer. It is an excellent tale for children as it contains adventures with dragons and elves, sword fights, rescue, rescues and escapes – all good stuff! The AI decided to depict Bilbo walking along a path in the great outdoors, carrying his short sword, which he named “Sting” in the book.
She: A History of Adventure
by H. Rider Haggard
This epic tale traces the path of Horace Holly and Leo Vincey to a forgotten kingdom deep inside Africa. They find a primitive group of natives, led by a mysterious queen named Ayesha.
The history of adventure, indeed of mankind itself, would be difficult to write without mentioning that singular individual who has given us some of our most enduring stories. He was an Englishman, but he lived during the Victorian era when Britain ruled over vast tracts of land in Africa, India and Australia. His name was Sir Henry Rider Haggard, and it might surprise you to know that he never travelled beyond England’s shores; not even to Europe or America where many other writers set their tales. Instead, like so many great authors before him, he conjured up vivid images of faraway lands through the written word alone. He had no need to travel because the imagination can provide limitless possibilities for a writer who is skilled enough to take the reader on such journeys.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe
by C.S. Lewis
This classic tale, set against the backdrop of World War II in London, follows four English children who discover a magic wardrobe in an old country house. It transports them to a magical world called Narnia. While there, the children meet a variety of fantasy characters, including the majestic lion Aslan. The AI decided to depict Aslan here with one of the children.