Chosen Books

Invited designers and commentators have chosen these as the books that inspire them and that have shaped their worldview or their ideas about design.
202 books
Abstract City Niemann, Christoph Comments:
ABZ: More Alphabets and Other Signs Rothenstein, Julian et al.
Adrian Frutiger—Typefaces: The Complete Works Frutiger, Adrian et al.
AGI Annals Henrion, F. H. K.
Aim for a Job in Graphic Design/Art Fujita, S. Neil
Air Made Visible Lichenstein, Claude et al.
Alex Steinweiss: The Inventor of the Modern Album Cover Reagan, Kevin et al.
Alexander Girard Oldham, Todd et al.
Alexey Brodovitch Purcell, William Kerry
A. M. Cassandre Mouron, Henri et al.
American Signs: Form and Meaning on Route 66 Mahar, Lisa
American Wood Type, 1828–1900 Kelly, Rob Roy
Analogous and Digital Aicher, Otl
Art Nouveau and Art Deco Bookbinding Duncan, Alastair et al.
The Art of Advertising: George Lois on Mass Communication Lois, George
The Art of Looking Sideways Fletcher, Alan
Ausgewählte Aufsätze über Fragen der Gestalt des Buches und der Typographie (The Form of the Book: Essays on the Morality of Good Design) Tschichold, Jan
Barcelona Gráfica Sánchez, América
Barnbrook Bible Barnbrook, Jonathan
Bauhaus: Weimar, Dessau, Berlin, Chicago Wingler, Hans
The Beatles Illustrated Lyrics 2 Aldridge, Alan
Beautiful Evidence Tufte, Edward R.
The Beauty of Chinese Calligraphy: Dancing Cursive (漢字書法之美—舞動行草) Xun, Jiang
Beware Wet Paint Fletcher, Alan
Blue Note Marsh, Graham et al.
The Book of Signs Koch, Rudolf et al.
Books for Our Time Lee, Marshall et al.
Born Modern Heller, Steven et al.
By Design Caplan, Ralph
The Calligrapher’s Handbook Child, Heather
Campo Grafico, 1933–1939 Rossi, Attilo
The Charm of Chinese Characters (漢字的魅力) Lang, Cang
Cities of the World Braun, Georg et al.
A Comparison of Package Designs in Japan and Europe Japan Package Design Association
Damn Good Advice (For People with Talent!) Lois, George
Design and Art (Documents of Contemporary Art) Coles, Alex
Design as Art Munari, Bruno
Design Going Forward (與設計向前行) Tanaka, Ikko
Design/Writing/Research: Writing on Graphic Design Lupton, Ellen et al.
A Designer’s Art Rand, Paul
Designing: Chermayeff, Ivan et al.
The Dictionary of Visual Language Thompson, Philip et al.
Don Quixote Long, Gareth
Dorfsman & CBS Hess, Dick et al.
Dutch Graphic Design Broos, C et al.
Elements of Design Hannah, Gail Greet
The Elements of Style (illustrated) Strunk, William et al.
The Elements of Typographic Style Bringhurst, Robert
Else/Where Abrams, Janet et al.
Enfolding Life (生活與承載) Lau, Freeman
Envisioning Information Tufte, Edward R.
An Essay on Typography Gill, Eric
Everything Sings: Maps for a Narrative Atlas Wood, Denis
Film Posters of the Russian Avant-Garde Pack, Susan
Fonts & Logos Young, Doyald
Forget All the Rules You Ever Learned About Graphic Design, Including the Ones in This Book Gill, Bob
The Form of the Book Tschichold, Jan et al.
French Modern Heller, Steven et al.
From Cave Painting to Comic Strip Hogben, Lancelot Thomas
From Those Wonderful Folks Who Gave You Pearl Harbor Della Femina, Jerry
George, Be Careful Lois, George
Grafika: Modern Design for Advertising and Printing Reiner, Imre
A Grammar of Chinese Lattice Dye, Daniel Sheets
The Graphic Artist and His Design Problems Müller-Brockmann, Josef
Graphic Design Friend, Leon et al.
Graphic Design History: A Critical Guide Drucker, Johanna et al.
Graphic Design in America Friedman, Mildred S.
Graphic Design Manual Hofmann, Armin
Graphic Design as a Second Language Gill, Bob
Graphic Design: A Concise History Hollis, Richard
The Graphic Language of Neville Brody Wozencroft, Jon et al.
Graphic Style Heller, Steven et al.
Graphic Texts GRAPHIC team, et al.
Handbook of Early Advertising Art Hornung, Clarence
The Handy Book of Artistic Printing Clouse, Doug et al.
Haptic Hara, Kenya
Hidden Forms Clivio, Franco et al.
Hirschfeld: Art and Recollections from Eight Decades Hirschfeld, Al
How Brands Become Icons Holt, Douglas B.
Identity Kits Facetti, Germano et al.
The Illustrator in America, 1860–2000 Reed, Walt
In the Groove Kohler, Eric
Information Anxiety 2 Wurman, Richard Saul
Information Architects Wurman, Richard Saul et al.
Information Ecology: Bayer’s Book of Maps Burgos, Nate
Information Is Beautiful McCandless, David
Innovators of American Illustration Heller, Steven
Introduction to the Method of Leonardo da Vinci Valéry, Paul
Invisible Art The Art Brothers,
Jan Tschichold McLean, Ruari
Japan Design Tanaka, Ikko
La Lettera Uccide (The Letter Kills) Lussu, Giovanni
La Lettre Peinte Décorative Dacosta, Philippe
Label Design Humbert, Claude
Le Livre futuriste Lista, Giovanni
Legibility: A Typographic Book of Etiquette Reichl, Ernst
Lester Beall Remington, R. Roger
Letter and Image Massin, Robert
Line and Form Crane, Walter
Lo Studio Boggeri 1933–1981 Monguzzi, Bruno
Lothar Meggendorfers Spielwelt Krahé, Hildegard
Maira Kalman: Various Illuminations (of a Crazy World) Schaffner, Ingrid
Make It Bigger Scher, Paula
The Map that Changed the World Winchester, Simon
Mathematische Grundlagen zur Satzherstellung Bosshard, Hans Rudolf
Maurice Sendak: A Celebration of the Artist and His Work Marcus, Leonard S.
Max Bill: Typography, Advertising, Book Design Fleischmann, Gerd et al.
The Medium is the Massage McLuhan, Marshall et al.
Mendell & Oberer Wichmann, Hans
Merz to Emigre and Beyond Heller, Steven
Milton Glaser: Graphic Design Glaser, Milton
Modern Typography: An Essay in Critical History Kinross, Robin
Module, Proportion, Symmetry, Rhythm (Vision + Value Series) Kepes, Gyorgy
My Work Is Not My Work: Pierre Bernard, Design for the Public Domain Boekraad, Hugues
Nox Carson, Anne
NSCI: Das visuelle Erscheinungsbild der Nationalsozialisten 1920–1945 (The Visual Appearance of the Nazis 1920–1945) Koop, Andreas
Numero Unico Futurista Campari 1931; Futurismo 1932; Dinamo Futurista 1933 Depero, Fortunato
Ornament Durant, Stuart
Ounce, Dice, Trice Reid, Alastair
Pattern Design Day, Lewis F.
Perché un libro su Enzo Mari (Why Write a Book on Enzo Mari) Burkhardt, François et al.
Pictorial Maps Holmes, Nigel
Pictures on a Page Evans, Harold
Pig 05049 Meindertsma, Christien
Pioneers of Modern Typography Spencer, Herbert
Pomona Houses Hafif, Marcia
Posters by the Members of the Alliance Graphique Internationale 1960–1985 Harak, Rudolph de
Prague–New York Sutnar, Ladislav
The Principles of Uncertainty Kalman, Maira
Printed Ephemera Lewis, John
Printed Matter Martens, Karel et al.
Printing, 1770-1970 Twyman, Michael et al.
Prop Art Yanker, Gary
The Push Pin Graphic Chwast, Seymour
Recollections of the Lyceum & Chautauqua Circuits Briggs, Irene et al.
Révolution typographique Damase, Jacques
Revolutionary Soviet Film Posters Constantine, Mildred et al.
Robert Brownjohn: Sex and Typography King, Emily
Rock, Scissors, Paper Igarashi, Takenobu
Rodchenko and the Arts of Revolutionary Russia Elliott, David
Rolling Stone: The Illustrated Portraits Woodward, Fred
Rookledge’s International Typefinder Perfect, Christopher et al.
Rudo Spemann (1905-1947) Offenbach, Germany, Friends of the Klingspor-Museum
The Russian Avant-Garde Book 1910–1934 Rowell, Margit
Russian Decorative Arts 1917-1937 Tolstoy, Vladimir
Saul Steinberg Rosenberg, Harold
Schiff nach Europa Kutter, Markus
Schriftenatlas Petzendorfer, Ludwig
Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design Bierut, Michael
Shapes for Sounds Donaldson, Timothy
Signs and Symbols Frutiger, Adrian
A Smile in the Mind McAlhone, Beryl et al.
Il Sogno della Merce (The Dream of Goods) Baudrillard, Jean et al.
Space Graphics Igarashi, Takenobu
Speak Italian: The Fine Art of the Gesture Munari, Bruno
Specimen Book and Catalogue, 1923 American Type Founders Company,
The Stamp of Fantasy Eskildsen, Ute
Stanley Morison Moran, James
Steinberg Steinberg, Saul
Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works Spiekermann, Erik
The Styles of Ornament Speltz, Alexander
Super Constellation Asendorf, Christoph
Suterisms Suter, David
Swiss Graphic Design Hollis, Richard
Technische Grundlagen zur Satzherstellung Bosshard, Hans Rudolf
Theory of Colours Goethe, Johann Wolfgang von
Things I Have Learned in My Life So Far Sagmeister, Stefan
Thinking Print Wye, Deborah
33 Wurman, Richard Saul
Thoughts on Design Rand, Paul
Three Found Fonts Tilson, Jake
Tibor Kalman: Perverse Optimist Bierut, Michael et al.
Tools of the Imagination Piedmont-Palladino, Susan C.
Toothpicks and Logos Heskett, John
Two Lines Align Worthington, Michael
Type: A Visual History of Typefaces and Graphic Styles 1628-1900 De Jong, Cees et al.
Typoésie Peignot, Jérôme
Typographers on Type McLean, Ruari
The Typographic Desk Reference Rosendorf, Theodore
Typographic Variations (Typographische Variationen) Zapf, Hermann
Typographie Bangerter, Walter et al.
Typographie: A Manual of Design (Typographie: ein Gestaltungslehrbuch = Typography: A Manual of Design = Typographie: un manuel de création) Ruder, Emil
The Uncommon Numbers Trilogy Zoby, Brenda Casey
Understanding Comics McCloud, Scott
Unspecial Effects for Graphic Designers Gill, Bob
Victorian Publishers’ Book-Bindings in Cloth & Leather McLean, Ruari
The Visible Word Spencer, Herbert
The Visible Word: Experimental Typography and Modern Art, 1909-1923 Drucker, Johanna
The Visual Display of Quantitative Information Tufte, Edward R.
Visual Explanations Tufte, Edward R.
Wayshowing Mollerup, Per
What is a Designer Potter, Norman
Where the Suckers Moon Rothenberg, Randall
Wiener Werkstätte, Design in Vienna 1903-1932 Brandstätter, Christian
William Tell Honegger-Lavater, Warja
Women Designers in the USA, 1900–2000 Kirkham, Pat
Word and Image Museum van Hedendaagse Kunst Antwerpen (MuHKA)
Word and Image: Posters from the Collection of The Museum of Modern Art Fern, Alan
The Work of Hipgnosis Thorgerson, Storm
The World Must Change: Graphic Design and Idealism Duis, Leonie ten et al.
The World of M. C. Escher Escher, M. C.
You Are Here Harmon, Katharine