A beautifully illustrated monograph of the work of this self-described "humble negro printer."

Written by two creative entrepreneurs, this book covers the basics of starting and running a business based on one's "creative passions" in the social media age.

This has been my typographic bible for the past 20 years; I have owned and used every edition.

A survey of the career and work of Lester Beall, an early American proponent of the Modernist approach to graphic design.

Showcases and explores the work of the San Francisco-based designer, known for his experimental—and often painstakingly manual—working process.

Probably the best book about running a design business written in the past decade.

A comprehensive and easy-to-follow manual on the principles and applications of layout in graphic design.

Müller Brockmann's  seminal  treatise on the use of grids for graphic design.

Explores the development of optical effects in visual art from 16th century Mannerism through 20th century Op Art.

A massive survey of the work and career of the Pentagram partner.

Examples of innovative books from around the world, mostly designed and published in the late 1990's and early 2000s.

An indispensable guide to book design and production. Includes sections on planning, grids, typography, images, structure, binding, and manufacture.

The author, a prolific maker of experimental art books, explores the possibilities of the book as object and experience. Many of the books discussed are hand-craft art objects, involving use of unorthodox materials, bindings, and structures. Contains a section on the theory of ordering images, which proposes a difference between a "series" and a "sequence."

Hochuli, a Swiss designer and typographer, makes the argument that book design should not be driven by strict ideologies or dogmas, but rather respond to the content and context of the individual book.

Primarily written for photographers who are interested in publishing books of photographs. Illustrated with in-depth case studies,  this very-thorough book explores the photobook as a concepts and an object; how to select and sequence photographs; the marketplace for photobooks; and the design and production process. Colberg makes a strong case for why working with a professiona designer is an important part of the photobook process.

A master of type design explores the history of typography, and  explains his thinking, work, and process. Deep typographic theory and practice. Includes case studies on the design process of Univers, Serifa, Frutiger, and other typefaces.

A classic of the genre by a living legend. Twyla Tharp, one of the most accomplished contemporary choreographers, takes readers through her creative process, its rituals, and more. An excellent read for anyone who does creative work.

A brief catalog of works in the Herbert Matter archive, held at the Stanford University Library. Showcases the classic Swiss tourism posters, graphicdesign for Knoll, photographic experiments, and lessor known portraits of artists including Alexander Calder and Jackson Pollock.  

A monograph of the work of Skolos-Wedell, a partnership in both design and life. The studio’s work is almost entirely created through photography of hand-built, sculptural tableaus of objects, materials and typography; a sort of 3-dimentional collage, which they call "designed pictures." An inspirational study in how physical processes and making can lead to fascinating results.