Book List of the Week: Massimo Vignelli
“The list is almost ridiculous—the more I think, the more books come to mind. Books that have been useful but not fundamental, books that have somehow shaped my mind, enriched my experience, affected my designs.”
By Steve Kroeter June 2, 2014
Much has already been written about the many design contributions and lasting influence as well as the kindness and generosity of Massimo Vignelli, who passed away last week. Both Michael Bierut and Jessica Helfand, among others, have movingly detailed the role Massimo played early in their graphic design careers.
Massimo also kindly took a chance on Designers & Books when it was only an idea. When we first decided to launch the site, he was one of the first designers we approached—we didn’t know him personally—for a list of the books that had inspired him. And he was among the first to agree to participate, something he did with great care and enthusiasm.
We sent a query about when we might expect to receive his book list. His assistant, Daisy, replied with this note:
Massimo is working on it and putting considerable thought to the project. It is very difficult for him to narrow it down... he has quite an extensive library with a wide range of topics that have influenced his career. Like everything he does, he is approaching the task with great attention to detail. I will let you know his progress, unless he contacts you directly. Thank you.
Later we heard from Massimo directly:
Mr. Kroeter,
I find your request extremely difficult for me. Out of thousand of books which have enriched my life and knowledge, I cannot single few ones without omitting so many others who have shaped my mind in the course of my life.
Naturally architecture and design books have been the major influences, but art history, philosophy, literature, ethnology, music, particularly on the theoretic and critical side of every discipline, have been my favorite reading.
It will take an enormous amount of time to list every book that has left a mark on my formation. I will just list some of the names that comes to my mind:
G.C. Argan, S. Giedion, L. Mumford, Le Corbusier, Mies Van Der Rohe, W. Gropius, G. Kepes, Moholy Nagy, Zevi, M. Pagano, E. Persico, E. Rogers, P. Rand, Plato, G. Lukacs, M. Mila, J.G. Frazer, H. Balzac, Maupassant, L. Tolstoi, F. Dostoevsky, Checov, T. Mann, W. Goethe, A. Moravia, C. Pavese, I. Calvino, U. Eco, V. Nabokov,T.Farrel, T.Dreiser, E.Hemingway, and so many others including Mozart, Beethoven and Bach!
The list is almost ridiculous, the more I think the more books come to mind, books that have been useful but not fundamental, books that have somehow shaped my mind, enriched my experience, affected my designs.
I am curious to see how my friends on your list, have answered the question.
Please let me know if you have any suggestion for me.
Best regards,
Massimo Vignelli
The next day we received his book list, with this note:
Dear Mr. Kroeter,
I am sending you a list of books, but really I feel guilty to leave out all those who have really enriched my life.
Anyhow here is a list. Let me know.
All the best,
Massimo Vignelli
The list—the first we published, in February 2011—contains 32 books.
Announcements
Total Armageddon: A Slanted Reader on Design edited by Ian Lynam
Total Armageddon: A Slanted Reader on Design
Edited by Ian Lynam
Publisher: Slanted Publishers
Published: March 2019
Total Armageddon is about design. And culture. And complexity, notably how we, as a global civilization, deal with science fiction, taste, social media, the cities we live in, aesthetics, PowerPoint, burkas, Big Tech, full-contact sports, and other thorny topics. The book celebrates 15 years of independent publishing and brings together a who’s who of authors and essays from 32 issues of Slanted Magazine.
A Field Guide to Color by Lisa Solomon
A Field Guide to Color: A Watercolor Workbook
By Lisa Solomon
Publisher: Roost Books
Published: August 2019
In this creative workbook you’ll discover fresh ways to connect with color in your art and life. Using watercolors, gouache, or any other water-based medium, explore color theory while playing with paint through a balanced blend of color experiments and loose color meditations. This inspiring workbook will change the way you relate to color
Five Oceans in a Teaspoon by Dennis Bernstein and Warren Lehrer
Five Oceans in a Teaspoon
Poems by Dennis Bernstein
Visualizations by Warren Lehrer
Introduction by Steven Heller
Publisher: Paper Crown Press
Published: September 19, 2019
“From a kidnap note for a world held hostage by an A-bomb, to a Holocaust survivor’s tattooed arms where the numbers just don’t add up, Five Oceans in a Teaspoon re-envisions a poetry memoir via a textual kaleidoscope... Bernstein and Lehrer are the Rodgers and Hart of Visual Poetry.” — Bob Holman, poet, poetry activist and chronicler, and founder of the Bowery Poetry Club
Ballpark: Baseball in the American City by Paul Goldberger
Ballpark: Baseball in the American City
By Paul Goldberger
Publisher: Alfred A. Knopf
Published: May 2019
An illustrated, entirely new look at the history of baseball: told through the stories of the vibrant and ever-changing ballparks where the game was and is staged, by the Pulitzer Prize-winning architectural critic.
Charleston Fancy by Witold Rybczynski
Charleston Fancy: Little Houses and Big Dreams in the Holy City
By Witold Rybczynski
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: May 2019
Charleston, South Carolina, which boasts America’s first historic district, is known for its palmetto-lined streets and picturesque houses. The Holy City, named for its profusion of churches, exudes an irresistible charm. Award-winning author and cultural critic Witold Rybczynski unfolds a series of stories about a group of youthful architects, builders, and developers based in Charleston: a self-taught home builder, an Air Force pilot, a fledgling architect, and a bluegrass mandolin player.
Teaching Graphic Design History by Steven Heller
Teaching Graphic Design History
By Steven Heller
Publisher: Allworth Press
Published: June 2019
An examination of the concerted efforts, happy accidents, and key influences of the practice throughout the years, Teaching Graphic Design History is an illuminating resource for students, practitioners, and future teachers of the subject.
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