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The Mission Continues

Adding another dimension to the story

Storytelling has been an important part of communication for thousands of years, allowing humankind a deeper understanding of a particular message. A good story can enhance nearly any content. Marry it with a compelling design, and you add another dimension to your story.

Human rights activist Eric Greitens already had captivating content for his book Strength & Compassion. His moving photographs, taken in seven countries, accompany stirring essays that convey the book’s message—that despite the destructive impact of war, violence and poverty, people are still able to find the strength to continue—and in the process inspire hope in humanity.

Continues Below

Objective

Design a book for a human rights activist/writer/photographer that tells his story of countries in conflict through compelling essays and stirring black-and-white photos.

Services Provided

Communications Consulting
Book Design
Print Production Supervision (overseas)

The Mission Continues — Cover of a 172-page book written by The New York Times best-selling author Eric Greitens. The publication was the grand-prize winner at the New York Book Festival, one of 12 honors the book received, along with three silver (second place) awards, and was also featured on "C-Span BookTV."
Award winner
The Mission Continues — Chapter opening of a 172-page, seven-chapter book written by The New York Times best-selling author Eric Greitens. To underscore the author’s theme of the human spirit shining through adversity, we inserted photos into each essay’s oversized one-word title, such as Pity, Dignity and Courage.
Award winner
The Mission Continues — Interior spreads of a hardcover 172-page book written by The New York Times best-selling author Eric Greitens. The design "cuts" many of the photos to support the narrative, which explores the theme of life interrupted by war and poverty in seven countries. This publication was featured on "C-Span BookTV."
Award winner
The Mission Continues — Interior spreads of a hardcover book written by The New York Times best-selling author Eric Greitens. We not only choreographed but "cut" the photos to embody the message of the book—that despite lives interrupted by violence and poverty, people can still find joy in life and bring hope to others.
Award winner

Our Contribution: A Radical Design Treatment

To reflect Greitens’ message of “life interrupted,” we cut several of the photographs at the edge of a right-hand page, wrapping the rest of the image around to the next page. This treatment paralleled the rhythm of the photo subjects’ lives—the interruption of life by poverty or violence—while suggesting the hopeful continuation of life even in the face of hardship. On the practical side, this treatment prompts readers to turn the page.

To underscore the author’s theme of the human spirit shining through adversity, we inserted photos into each essay’s oversized one-word title, such as Pity, Dignity and Courage.

Many photographers might have bristled at the idea of interrupting, cutting and cropping their work, but Eric Greitens didn’t. In fact, he called our design “masterful” and “incredible” and credited us with helping to make his award-winning book what it is today.

National awards

When you put your heart into a project, the material develops a strong voice that clearly speaks to the author’s theme and captures the attention of critics and jurors. This was the case with Strength & Compassion. The book has won 12 major awards, including silver medals from The Communicator Awards and Summit Creative Awards, along with a gold medal from the Hermes Creative Awards.

Click to view what author Eric Greitens said on C-SPAN BookTV about our design treatment of his book.

How can design make your story leap off the proverbial page?

Whether you’re developing a book, catalog or digital volume, we can add to it a meaningful extra dimension—design that powerfully carries your message and makes it come alive for your audience.