Designers & Books Blog

 

856 blog entries
Archives & Libraries
By Elizabeth Meggs May 30, 2017

Designer and design history educator Elizabeth Meggs selects 16 books from the library of her father—the pioneering graphic design historian Philip B. Meggs (d. 2002) who authored the landmark Meggs’ History of Graphic Design, recently updated in a sixth edition—and her mother, art director and writer/illustrator Libby Phillips Meggs. More...

May 30, 2017

The first graphic design book I owned, a groundbreaking attempt at synthesis in its time, and an exciting window opening on to what was, for me, a previously unknown realm of visual history.

April 25, 2017

Read Jaron Lanier’s You Are Not a Gadget, and then read (or reread) this classic novel of a dystopian future without books. I did, and the juxtaposition is startling.

Daily Features
By Steve Kroeter April 25, 2017

We sat down with Mark Fox and Angie Wang—designers and educators specializing in trademarks and typography who work as partners in Design is Play—to talk about their recently published book, Symbols: A Handbook for Seeing (The Monacelli Press, 2016). In the conversation, Mark and Angie gave their thoughts on sharpening sensory awareness by paying attention to the visual signs in the world around us, symbols across various cultures, and a few of their favorite books on the subject. More...

April 4, 2017

Orwell’s 1984 has been so influential on my work, from the way he analyzes dictatorships to terms like “Newspeak” and “Doublethink,” which crystalize how our thoughts are shaped (or repressed) by the society we live in.

Daily Features
January 23, 2017

Updated, February 2, 2017. Congratulations to the three winners of our giveaway of a frame to display pages from The Bolted Book: Josh Korwin, Jimmy Ofisia, and Maite Zabaleta! If you would like a copy of the book, pre-orders are available through February 28. More...

Books on Designers
December 29, 2016

We honor design pioneer Lella Vignelli (1934–December 22, 2016) with three books on her work. More...

Daily Features
December 2, 2016

Updated, March 1, 2017: Thanks to our hundreds of supporters from around the world, Fortunato Depero’s groundbreaking Bolted Book from 1927 will be reprinted in a beautiful new edition in July 2017. We’ll be posting updates on our publication progress.

Updated, October 30, 2018: We are sold out of our first printing of the Bolted Book and so are planning a second printing. Sign up for advance information and an exclusive special offer on  www.boltedbook.com. More...

You Are What You Read
By Stephanie Salomon November 16, 2016

Designers & Books is planning to launch a book series called You Are What You Read: Design World Luminaries Recommend the Books That Most Inspire Them. In each volume of the series, a different group of prominent architects and designers will profile — in words and images — one book that has been particularly significant to them, and share why it has been meaningful. The following special preview features the book chosen by architect and 2016 AIA Gold Medalist Denise Scott BrownMore...