The Missing Years of the Most Beautiful Swiss Books: 1946, 1947, 1948

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Roland Früh Editor

Corina Neuenschwander Editor

Niggli, Sulgen, 2013, English, French, German, and Italian

Nonfiction, Graphic Design

12.6 x 8.9 inches, softcover with flaps, 168 pages, 115 images and reproductions

ISBN: 9783721208627

Suggested Retail Price: $49.95

From the Publisher. Since 1943, when Jan Tschichold proposed to honor the most beautiful Swiss books with an annual award, the competition for this title has become very popular and is heard of not only in Switzerland but around the world. A fact that is less well-known is that the title was not awarded between 1946 and 1948 and no books were submitted to it during this time. This gap in the long-standing tradition of the award provided the background for an exhibition, a series of lectures and a research project, that discussed book production and design in Switzerland – with a focus on this specific period, but also with regard to the present situation. Experts such as Jost and Ursula Hochuli, François Rappo, Andreas Schwab as well as many others explain in 14 concise statements their selection of “the most beautiful books” from these years. These authors contributed essays but also texts on their personal interest in and their relationship to books. International authors such as Robin Kinross, Yann Chateigné Tytelman, Severin Rüegg, Philipp Messner, Noah Stolz, Ulrike Meyer Stump and Patrick Gosatti wrote on more specific aspects, starting with the different aspects of book production and design. The book intends to contribute to the discussion among book experts and provides a contemporary commentary on the crucial elements and aspects of book production – now and then.

A Designers & Books Notable Design Book of 2013

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