Holiday Reading

For holiday reading last week I took away Bomber Command and Michael Bierut's new book. Both were excellent and while I don't think Ace Jet is the place to explain the finer points of the the Air Ministry's bombing campaign against the Axis powers, it is perhaps the place to say something about Mr B's book.

Now, I haven't finished it yet and that's partly because I set myself the task of discerning (and noting down) one clear and interesting point from each of of the 79 essays, which means that there are quite a few that require greater study than might usually be needed (by me anyway). Quite a few required multiple read-throughs. Not because they're particularly high brow or anything but just because I only wanted one clear and interesting point.

Most of the essays are taken from Design Observer so you may have already read some of them. I'm not very good at reading "long" copy on screen so really welcomed the chance to read this stuff sitting on the beach or in the bath (not a picture to dwell on).

I'm up to number 40 and while I fear I may be doing Mr B a terrible disservice by vastly oversimplifying and possibly even dumbing down his brilliant writing, I've managed to get a clear and interesting point from almost all so far. For what it's worth, and if you're interested, they're here. I'll add more as I get through them.

Comments

[davidthedesigner]

Hmm...

"07. Grumpy old designers should cheer up and open their eyes."

Thanks, I'll bear it in mind.

[Richard]

Yes, you do that David...or should I say, "Grumpy"?

[Andrew Kingham]

1)
There's a quiz. Fill in the gaps for nos 14, 23 et al. I've always been put off buying this book since I've read a proportion of them already on screen, but I find I skim-read on-line. Partly because I should be working.

2)
David is rarely grumpy, and seems very open to new stuff. Unless you mention '2012' and 'logo' in the same sentence.

[davidthedesigner]

But that would make me sound like one of the seven dwarfs, which I'm not.

[Richard]

Of course, I wouldn't dream of really calling you grumpy or old David.

[davidthedesigner]

Hey Andrew - here's what really makes me grumpy:

Middled-age women who queue up at the 'ten items or less till' when they've got a trolley-load of shopping;

Then you get outside and find they've parked their Mercedes estate in the 'disabled' bay;

Then they tell you to 'piddle orf' when you point out that they have no social conscience.

[daniel]

Thanks.