Temple St. Clair’s Book List
This is just the beginning of my list of favorite books. Books, for me, are like stepping stones that go on and on. I constantly discover new books that I want to read and am drawn back to old favorites that I reread or return to for reference. Books relate to different phases of my life and different parts of me—the child, the student, the traveler, the scientist, the designer, the artist, the mother, the explorer. I have eclectic tastes in books, as in other art forms, from the classical to the contemporary and am happy to share a few that I particularly treasure.
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I have reread Anna Karenina about once per decade since the first time I read it in my twenties. It vividly colors my perception of pre-revolutionary Russia. I love the descriptions of the clothes and jewels—Anna’s hands, the social order depicted, from the peasants to the aristocracy.
So many books I love are associated with my travels. I read this book before and during an incredible trip to the Galapagos. It is a detailed account of evolution, and the lengths that scientists go to to study and gather their data. This book was essential to my understanding and appreciation of those islands.
From years of studying in Florence, I often recall stories and lines from both Boccaccio and Dante. My favorite story comes from the fifth day in the Decameron that entertains the theme of true love. It is the story of Federigo degli Alberighi and his falcon—an incredibly romantic tale of love lost and regained. The whole Decameron is a wonderful read and worth learning Italian to enjoy it completely.
Herodotus may be the greatest historian and storyteller of all time. This volume has accompanied me on many trips through Greece and the ancient sites along the Turkish coast. It brings Ancient Greece alive.
I read this while my husband and I were renovating a ramshackle building that we bought in Manhattan’s East Village. It’s a fascinating study of the concept of “home.” Some of the functionality of our home—the kitchen, for example—is based on Rybczynski’s theories: our kitchen is like a workshop with all its tools exposed instead of a gleaming sterile environment that looks like it’s never used.
I am fascinated by animals and nature and turn to both for inspiration. Despite being an acclaimed Nobel prize-winning scientist, Lorenz still communicates boyish marvel while conveying insights into animals in this charming book.
This is another classic that I keep nearby. The modernity of this 200-year-old text is astounding.
Aptly named “Scales,” the marine biologist author merges science with storytelling in this in-depth, yet poetic look at the elusive seahorse.
Someone recommended this book to me before one of my first trips to Sri Lanka to buy gemstones. This is an autobiographical account of Ondaatje’s Sri Lankan roots. From chasing cobras from his grandmother’s living room to summering in the high tea country, he gives colorful insight into the social order of this mysterious, somewhat unexplored island.
I found the story of Jobs completely inspiring, especially his defiant refusal to compromise on design and quality. His personal habits were quirky but his overall vision impeccable. So sad that he is gone.
This is one of my favorite childhood stories and one book that I will keep on the shelf long after my own children are grown. The depiction of this bull who preferred smelling flowers to fighting inspired my depiction of a gentle bull on my Taurus astrological pendant.
A pocket-size early graphic depiction of this classic tale. Its simplicity is intriguing. Each character is represented by a colored square, circle, or triangle.
I love Helprin’s stories. (It was hard to choose between this one and A Soldier of the Great War.) This is a magical story of New York City. I love the descriptions of the Hudson being frozen solid and of people disappearing into Brooklyn. Helprin’s descriptions are fantastical but still seem somehow real in this amazing city.
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What is Universal Everything? edited by Adrian Shaughnessy and Tony Brook
What is Universal Everything?
Edited by Adrian Shaughnessy and Tony Brook; designed by Spin
Publisher: Unit Editions
Published: June 2019
Matt Pyke, founder and creative director of Universal Everything, calls his studio a “digital art and design collective.” Now, after 15 years of revolutionary work in the digital realm, the studio has its first book. For anyone interested in the future of digital design, the book features a unique cover for each copy of the book (limited to 2,000)—every buyer owns a one-off.
The Future of Design: Global Product Innovation for a Complex World by Lorraine Justice
The Future of Design: Global Product Innovation for a Complex World
by Lorraine Justice
Publisher: Nicholas Brealey
Published: June 4, 2019
Internationally recognized product design expert, TED speaker, and consultant to companies like Microsoft and Levi’s, shares the ten global factors that directly impact product design success and failure.
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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