Customer Reviews

Things I have learned in my life so far

5 star:		(38)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

"trying to look good limits my life" and "everything I do always comes back to me" are two of my favorites.
I have always admired Stefan Sagmeister's ability to bring together a sincerity of purpose with a lot of (obvious) fun in the realization of his projects. I myself had a lot of fun reading and looking at this "book", after having seen the same titled show in New York City, detecting details that escaped me at the very crowded gallery, chuckling at the whimsy and imagination that went into it.
As in "Made You Look", Stefan wraps his pieces with delightful and sometimes very personal stories and anecdotes, which definitely adds to the overall impression that this is not just another design book, it's a great way to meet an artist/designer who has something to say, and who does it well.
I bought five copies at the show, they make great gifts. Maybe I should have waited for the amazon discount, though. Highly recommended.

This book just blew me away. The images are powerful, the sentences are inspiring, the formats are innovative and best of all, I had such fun changing the booklets inside to see new covers thru the laser-cut-out case. This is a true magical book.

I have Sagmeister's two other books, and this 15 pamphlet folio is another winner. It's exceptionally well produced (why am I not surprised). Having seen Stefan Sagmeister speak twice, I was delighted to see many of the images I've seen him use in his talks not only in this book but discussed in detail; both the ideas behind them and tales of their production.

Buy one for yourself, buy one for a gift - I can't imagine anyone who enjoys design or just thinking about living that wouldn't be delighted by this book.

Stefan Sagmeister's book is a brilliant, hilarious, and entertaining exploration of this supremely inventive graphic designer's creative process and life's lessons. His intense engagement with the world through playful and ingenious interaction of words and images is graphic design at its very best. Who else could impart wisdom with so much fun using everything from giant angry monkeys to microbes? I can't wait to see what he does next.

"Things I've learned in my life so far", represents Stefan's latest gift to the world and a rare glimpse into the mind and passion of one of today's most gifted designers and thinkers. Commanding interaction, masterfully crafted and produced, it touches, pokes, illuminates, challenges, and inspires even the most casual of reader. With each page Stefan treats us, as only he can, to a boundless buffet of evocative unfettered visual expression, striking all of the emotional chords in perfect pitch. Softly sprinkled throughout is a common sense perspective on life, art, and our world that is at once both poignant, and refreshingly warm. This is a must read publication, whether you're a senior executive, stay at home mom, instructor, young designer, artist, or a seasoned communications professional. Congratulations!

Sagmeister's work refuses to just sit there and be looked at - this is way beyond just design: it compels you to become a part of it. Every image is a revelation - and demands detailed study. This book has stories too - little tales and observations about Stefan's life that are not only moving, but forced me to think of my own life and what I have learned along the way. And all along I am swapping out the booklets and changing the image seen through the cover - first Stefan is a flower garden - then he's a monkey - it's all in there. Amazing.

What a great surprise to find several books encased together - each filled with a visual representations of one of Stefan's lessons in life. Each lesson is uniquely made, from billboards, to snails, to sugar, his quotes are composed typographically in the most unexpected ways. The book covers for each lesson make an interesting look for his face when interchanged with the die cut cover. If you are a fan, you will look at these books over and over and wonder how he thought of some of these. Some will make you laugh and some might gross you out, but each are completely interesting.

I was excited about this publication by one of the century's foremost design icons. Imagine my surprise when I opened the long-awaited package to discover that it is not a book at all! Just a short series of paper promotion-style vanity pieces containing entertaining truisms, but little substance. As a design student, I feel this is nothing but a waste of my hard-earned money. I expected a great deal more from Sagmeister. I will definitely be returning this "book." It is nothing more than a coffee table gimmick and a commercial sell-out.

After attending his lecture on the same topic, this book left me with a somewhat dissatisfied feeling. I am very excited that Sagmeister, my all-time favorite designer, has attempted to say something worthwhile with the tools of the trade, but it seemed like nothing much was said. The design of the book was flawless, but didn't have the power of his book lecture. He was not "selling out" with this book, he was really trying to say something and this seems to be a good first try at doing something other than selling out, which is what we designers are famous for. Overall, it was average. Not bad, but not great. It left me wanting a little more meat with the sayings.

I had the pleasure of seeing Mr. Sagmeister speak in person. He's very accessible and funny - it was a great talk. Even though most of his talk was covered by the book, I love having the content for reference. There's a lot of dedication in this book, and the level of commitment and thought represents the kind of work I think we all should aspire to.