Overview
From the lost art of show-card writing and the tumultuous days of guerrilla magazine publishing to the latest in electronic leaflet design and hot magazine covers, acclaimed graphic designer and author Steven Heller provides dozens of stunning examples of how graphic design has transformed from a subset of pop culture to a cultural driving force on its own.Synopsis
Driven by a lifetime in graphic design and a passion for everything pop culture, acclaimed graphic designer Steven Heller delivers a provocative and highly personal interim report of his craft in this enthralling collection of essays. From the lost art of show-card writing, the tumultuous days of guerilla magazine publishing to the latest in electronic leaflets design, Heller provides stunning examples of how graphic design has turned from a subset of pop culture to a cultural driving force on its own. Rich in its scope and full of piercing observation, this refreshing collection of essays combines candid introspection, interviews with landmark design personalities and the philosophical elixir of thirty-four years of design. The more than fifty carefully selected essays are divided into five sections and provide a panorama of design issues that is both deeply personal and universal. Graphic Design Reader is the legacy of a master who has played a key role in shaping the identity, image, and formation of contemporary design.
Library Journal
Those familiar with the writing of noted graphic design chronicler Heller may have already encountered several of the essays found here in various design periodicals such as Print, Critique, and Eye. Others may be aware of his work as the art director of the New York Times Book Review or of the innumerable design books he has authored and/or edited. For these readers, it will be gratifying to review a compendium that allows one to form a composite picture of Heller. He has an active mind and a balanced perspective and excels at placing graphic design in historical context, a much-needed boost for a profession that is coming into its own. If there is a complaint to be leveled, it would be that a book of this scope (which holds the design profession in such high regard) is itself so poorly designed. While visual communication may be the subject, there is little visual enjoyment to be had. A flat and uninspired layout is compounded by an overall shortage of illustrations, often leaving the reader to wonder in vain about the references being made. Despite the wide perspective that Heller brings to the graphic design field, the book is squarely rooted in the 20th century, and it certainly belongs in the graphic design section, as it would provide little gratification for the non-design reader. Recommended for larger public libraries or libraries with extensive liberal arts, fine arts, or art history sections. Phil Hamlett, San Francisco Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information.