283. Oliver Munday

283. Oliver Munday

From Scratching the Surface by Jarrett Fuller

February 18, 2026 · 1h 3m

About this episode

Oliver Munday discusses his transition from graphic design to fiction writing and his exploration of modern fatherhood in his new book.

Oliver Munday is a graphic designer and writer. His new book, Head of Household, is a collection of short stories that explore the conditions of modern fatherhood. Perhaps best known for his book cover designs, Oliver is currently the executive director of art and design at Doubleday, previously designed covers for Knopf and Farrar, Straus & Giroux, and served as associate art director of The Atlantic. In this wide-ranging conversation, Jarrett and Oliver talk about his move into fiction, why he wrote a book about fatherhood, and the limits of working as a graphic designer. Links from this episode are available at www.scratchingthesurface.fm/2823-oliver-munday — Help support the show by joining our Substack: surfacepodcast.substack.com

People in this episode

Host: Jarrett Fuller

Guest: Oliver Munday

Topics covered

  • graphic design
  • fatherhood
  • fiction writing
  • book design
  • modern parenting

Keywords

  • graphic designer
  • writer
  • fatherhood
  • short stories
  • book cover design

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: Doubleday, Knopf, Farrar, Straus & Giroux, The Atlantic

Books & works: Head of Household

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