Preservation architect Jeffrey M. Chusid talks about his book Saving Wright: The Freeman House and the Preservation of Meaning, Materials, and Modernity (W. W. Norton, December 2011), which chronicles the efforts to preserve the Freeman House—an experimental house in the Hollywood Hills designed by Frank Lloyd Wright in 1924—and the “the symphonic blast of excitement” the author experienced actually living in the house.

John van de Water, a partner in the Dutch firm NEXT Architects, discusses what went into creating his book, You Can’t Change China, China Changes You, an account of five years spent working as a Western architect in China (010 Publishers, February 2012).

Kenneth Frampton—Ware Professor of Architecture at Columbia University’s Graduate School of Architecture, Planning and Preservation (GSAPP), where he has taught since 1972—talks about Five North American Architects: An Anthology, released  in February 2012 by Lars Müller and GSAPP.

Graphic designer Michael Bierut takes a look at his Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design on the occasion of its release in paperback and discusses typefaces, the “First Things First” manifesto, and what he's thinking of writing next.

Graphic designer Paula Scher talks about her recent book, Maps (Princeton Architectural Press, October 2011), which was named a Designers & Books Notable Book of 2011, how she got interested in cartography, and how she approached the book’s design.

Steven Heller talks about 100 graphic design ideas, some of the all-time great graphic designers, and more in his newest book, written with Véronique Vienne, 100 Ideas That Changed Graphic Design (April 2012, Laurence King Publishing).

Alberto Alessi, head of the eponymous company recognized for bringing high design to housewares, talks about the poetry of design in a special interview with Designers & Books.

Graphic designer, curator, author, and commentator Ellen Lupton weighs in on reading and writing for practicing designers and design students.

Indefatigable designer, writer, and reader Todd Oldham talks to design editor Wendy Goodman of New York magazine in an interview for Designers & Books—about what (and how) he reads and writes. Authors Dorothy Parker and Amy and David Sedaris, artists Cindy Sherman and Tim Hawkinson, film director Sidney Lumet, and designers Roberto Burle Marx, Tony Duquette, Charley Harper, and Alexander Girard are all part of the mix.

Rick Poynor talks about everything you need as a thinking, principled, committed designer—and also about books and graphic design in general.

Dutch typographer and graphic designer Wim Crouwel talks to Designers & Books about his library, his bookcases, and books whose design he admires.

Susan S. Szenasy talks about books that have, or should have, influenced our culture and the design community from her perspective as editor in chief of Metropolis, which celebrated its 30th anniversary in 2011.

Steven Heller is the author, co-author, and/or editor of more than 100 books. In this essay he writes about why he writes—and why he writes mostly about design.