Customer Reviews

Design

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I agree with the other reviews that the book has a stunning layout.

But I have a problem with comments such as "no one had had the sense to design a clock face at that time." Conversational levity is understandable; condescension is not.

Design, technology, and knowledge are long processes of building on what previously existed. They also depend on specific needs and available materials, how inventions are passed along, how easy it is to change a design standard of the time, and sometimes on mere coincidence or powerful institutions. Simply saying "no one had the sense" is unnecessarily condescending and places us on a plane of intelligence and cleverness that misses the whole point of where design has been before us (which is integral to any history of design).

Guns, Germs, and Steel by Jared Diamond (esp. Part II) is an excellent example of looking at history and prehistory in terms of how and why certain things developed where and when they did (ie looking at the process) instead of attributing our current level of achievement to our supposed higher level of smartness.

For example, Design (A Crash Course) says that it took a long time before an iron-bladed plow was invented, "but they got there in the end." Why is there an "end" to invention in this area, and when is the "end" anyway?? The 1900s, 2000, 2003? Again, it unnecessarily scoffs at the process of getting there and just isn't a professional or open-minded approach to history.

`Good design is intelligence made visible' said Frank Pick, he was the man who had the vision to create one of the greatest corporate identities ever, for London Transport, while he was their commercial manager. Look through this little book and you will see how true that statement is. What I like about it (and the others in this `A Crash Course' series) is the way each spread is beautifully designed with several graphic elements, a Timeline across the top, a Designer Names panel, an Every Home Should Have One panel, photos and illustrations with the headlines, captions and text, to make a visual treat.

The book starts at Year Dot (the writing has a sense of fun too) and chronologically goes up to 2000 with all kinds of design references, William Morris on page 42, Barbie dolls on page 113, packaging, product design, logos, print media, electronics, transport, the text weaves them all together. As with the best reference books it stimulates questions and the `I want to know more' attitude.

The back of the book has some pages on Design Classics, Design Heroes (including mine, Raymond Loewy and Dieter Rams) a Glossary and an Index. You should also check out a book (also pocket size ) called `Design: A Concise History' by Thomas Hauffe, it was originally published in Germany and covers the same ground with plenty of illustrations but doesn't have the same kind of fun as `Design'. A much more serious book is `Design of the 20th Century' by Charlotte and Peter Fiell, a big, chunky 768 page paperback with over four hundred entries of designers and design movements, plus plenty of photos. It is the only book that I have found that names Willie Fleckhaus and his work on that amazing German magazine `Twen' in the sixties. If you are interested in design all three books are worth having and they are all value for money.

the book's grid is cool and entertaining. the layout is very proffesional and i had many laughs examining the different objects described. recommanded to all design lovers. and if you are interested in graphic design too, a must have title is david carson's "the end of print" -isbn 1811811999.

(I'm an author but I thought you might like to have this) "Really a most incredibly informative little title. You learn something on every page. It is witty and assumes absolutely no previous knowledge of the subject, yet it discusses akk major developments in design history. Was Toulouse Lautrec an artsist or a poster designer? The big names, William Morris, christopher Dresser et al, are all here. This book is cheap, unpompous and dense with the information need. It is also easily digestible"

I can't claim $50, so it ought to go to the reviewer at the Booksller? Regards, Paul Clark