The cover image displays four men in a black-and-white photograph, visible from approximately thigh to head. The men are standing close together, facing each other. On the far left, a man in a dark suit is wearing a hat, glasses, and a tie with his hands in his pockets. Next to him is a man wearing a hat, a light-colored suit, a patterned tie, and a white shirt. The third man is smiling, wearing a hat and a dark suit with a patterned tie and white shirt. The man on the far right, without a hat, has dark, slicked-back hair and is wearing a suit with a tie. The background features a partial view of a sign that says "Lindy's." The cover of the book is a textured tan color with the title "Short Takes" by Damon Runyon prominently displayed in a dark, bordered box above the photograph.