Massimo Pitis’s Book List
My selection of books reflects my interests in history, sociology, design, and education. In particular what I propose here is a dive into the depths of design thinking—a sea where letters and ornaments, thoughts and words, passions and theories fluctuate constantly, producing new ideas and new words.
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If I had to write a shortlist of five of the best graphic designers ever I would probably put Kenya Hara among them. This book is an extensive presentation of his best work over the years. It witnesses the ability to play with tradition and creativity with eyes open to the requirements of the market and the light touch of a deep cultural and ethical sensibility.
Ken Robinson has a wonderful way of telling stories (check out his speeches at TED). In this book he tells many and make you feel like yours could be among them. It’s a book about the need to become ourselves against all the limitations that modern society and schools impose. Brilliant!
An essential guide to size, shape, and secrets of the written page. A journey through typography, layout, paper, lettering, and all the rules and tips every designer (and writer) should know when approaching the empty page.
I owe a debt of gratitude to Richard Hollis for this simple and (in fact) concise book, which was able to walk me, as a student, through the most important moments and authors of graphic design. One small criticism: it is very Anglo-centric and mainstream. Still, a good read for students.
Quite enlightening essay (not translated into English) on the alphabetical system and its influence in shaping Western culture. It also examines the myth of the alphabet as a mirror of the spoken word.
I keep finding reasons to go back to this book, which I have read and read since the early 1990s. I often carry it with me in my bag and when I open it I find new ideas and radical ways of seeing the world. Together with another book by Baudrillard, The Perfect Crime, it’s one of the reasons I decided to stop watching TV years ago.
The section “Myth Today” was one of my favorite readings when I was in my twenties. During my school days at the University of Bologna I came across this book by chance in a little remainders store. It was real discovery for me to learn to see another side of “reality,” from a different and critical perspective and under a strong cultural microscope.
A comprehensive, even maniacal, catalogue of ornament in architecture and design from pre-history to the late 19th century. The original was printed in Leipzig, with text and drawings by Speltz himself. I wonder if he had a real life during the making of this book—take a look at it and you’ll understand!
From the calligram to concrete poetry, from design to art, this book collects hundreds of very good examples of great typography. Designed by Massin, it’s a book Herbert Spencer might have done after his experience as editor of the design journal Typographica.
Not simple reading, this book questions the very basis of design practice. A must!
Announcements
Louis Kahn: Architecture as Philosophy by John Lobell
Louis Kahn: Architecture as Philosophy
By John Lobell
Publisher: The Monacelli Press
Published: June 2020
Noted Louis I.Kahn expert John Lobell explores how Kahn’s focus on structure, respect for materials, clarity of program, and reverence for details come together to manifest an overall philosophy.
Our Days Are Like Full Years: A Memoir with Letters from Louis Kahn by Harriet Pattison
Our Days Are Like Full Years: A Memoir with Letters from Louis Kahn
By Harriet Pattison
Publisher: Yale University Press
Forthcoming: October 2020
An intimate glimpse into the professional and romantic relationship between Harriet Pattison and the renowned architect Louis Kahn. Harriet Pattison, FASLA, is a distinguished landscape architect. She was Louis Kahn’s romantic partner from 1959 to 1974, and his collaborator on the landscapes of the Kimbell Art Museum, Fort Worth, and the F.D.R. Memorial/Four Freedoms Park, New York. She is the mother of their son, Oscar-nominated filmmaker Nathaniel Kahn.
Louis I. Kahn: The Nordic Latitudes
Louis I. Kahn: The Nordic Latitudes
By Per Olaf Fjeld and Emily Randall Fjeld
Publisher: University of Arkansas Press
Published: October 4, 2019
A new and personal reading of the architecture, teachings, and legacy of Louis I. Kahn from Per Olaf Fjeld’s perspective as a former student. The book explores Kahn’s life and work, offering a unique take on one of the twentieth century’s most important architects. Kahn’s Nordic and European ties are emphasized in this study that also covers his early childhood in Estonia, his travels, and his relationships with other architects, including the Norwegian architect Arne Korsmo.
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Reading Graphic Design History: Image, Text, and Context by David Raizman
Reading Graphic Design History: Image, Text, and Context
By David Raizman
Publisher: Bloomsbury Visual Arts
Published: December 2020
An innovative approach to graphic design that uses a series of key artifacts from the history of print culture in light of their specific historical contexts. It encourages the reader to look carefully and critically at print advertising, illustration, posters, magazine art direction, and typography, often addressing issues of class, race, and gender.
David King: Designer, Activist, Visual Historian by Rick Poynor
David King: Designer, Activist, Visual Historian
By Rick Poynor
Publisher: Yale University Press
Published: September 2020
A comprehensive overview of the work and legacy of David King (1943–2016), whose fascinating career bridged journalism, graphic design, photography, and collecting. King launched his career at Britain’s Sunday Times Magazine in the 1960s, starting as a designer and later branching out into image-led journalism, blending political activism with his design work.
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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