Literature and poetry, especially by and about women, have been a lifelong passion. While not directed specifically at the “design” profession, these books have informed and influenced my imagination, mind and soul. They also provide insights into various cultures, broadening our understanding of the world and learning how other people deal with life.

In addition, all of the books by Bruno Munari are worth your time. I had the good fortune to know Bruno in the 1950s and ‘60s as a young designer with a Fulbright grant. All his work was delightful and produced with the simplest of means.

Once, when we went to dinner with Bruno Danese and Jacqueline Vodoz—our great friends and major producers of postwar minimalist products—the service was severely lacking. Bruno Munari’s command, therefore, was to have pere tagliate, zucchero e limone for dessert: thinly sliced peeled pears, cored and skinned, and spread like butterfly wings on individual plates, where they were infused with lemon and then sprinkled with the perfect amount of crunchy sugar. So delicious—out of this world—and so time-consuming to prepare.

That’s only one reason why you should read these small, graphic gems, which are very precise and full of multidimensional surprises.