I’m completely intrigued by the images in ‘Things come apart: A Teardown Manual for Modern Living’ the new book fromToronto photographer Todd McLellan, who’s disassembled everything from bicycle to smartphones. Reserve your copy here (via notcot)
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Wonderful idea from Random House (Australia)and design agency BMF to produce books with covers that turn into mailing envelopes. They are prepaid and pre-addressed and get sent to those in need, who don’t have access to the same books. So simple, and yes, so clever. Watch the video below and find out more at Mailbooks for Good (via design taxi) – What could you or your company help pass on when you’ve finished with it?
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A beautiful book about the history of Graphic Design. Follow Gramps and kiddo on a journey through design history with activities and facts – this is the perfect book for any designer/student/cool kid. Go and check out some pages here and grab your copies from amazon here (you’ll need more than one) (via behance)
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I often wear a little necklace that is a heart with one word written on it – that word is hope. It has always reminded me that I have the power to make things better. (That made me sound a lot sweeter than I am – I also wear it because it’s pretty cool)
When I heard (from a friend) about a book on the subject of Hope, you know I had to read it. I was a little skeptical – but was soon proved wrong, Making Hope Happen is a wonderful combination of logic, science, and emotion – Not just why, but how, and what next. Dr Shane Lopez is a rare creature, a scientist who understands people and how they think, not just in academia but in the real word and the real life we all live. This isn’t just a book that explains and defines hope in one of the clearest ways I’ve ever encountered but a workbook for change that can be used by parents, communities, and educators, – or as I call them – People. (It’s always about the people, people.I was lucky enough to sit down with Dr Shane and talk to him a bit this week – he’s originally a local boy (from New Iberia, LA) and in real life he is exactly the man you meet in the book (maybe a little cooler – by the way he dresses you’d think he was a graphic designer.) I got to spend the rest of the day casually mentioning that I’d just had coffee with the world’s preeminent expert on hope. I asked him why he’d written the book, and he smiled as though it was obvious “To spread hope”- after 18 years of practical research he felt like he finally had enough data to make a difference. As he writes in the book:
My message seems simple to me now, but it took me more than a decade to figure it out:
Hope Matters.
Hope is a Choice.
Hope can be learned.
Hope can be shared with others.
For those of you in the area he is having a book signing this Saturday at The Lab – so you can grab a copy and meet Shane yourself. I have a feeling there will also be some great discussions had and a few interesting comments made (yes, I will be there). If you care about your future or the future of your community you should probably be there. If you don’t then the coffee is great, and you get to hang out with some cool people. As Shane would say – here’s an amazon link to the book, but buy it from a local bookstore if you can. I hope to see you on Saturday (see what I did there?) – sign up here
“Few will have the greatness to bend history itself, but each of us can work to change a small portion of events. It is from numberless diverse acts of courage and belief that human history is shaped. Each time a man stands up for an ideal, or acts to improve the lot of others, or strikes out against injustice, he sends forth a tiny ripple of hope, and crossing each other from a million different centers of energy and daring those ripples build a current which can sweep down the mightiest walls of oppression and resistance.” ― Robert F. Kennedy
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I’m planning a visit to NYC in a couple of weeks and I came across this book. It’s beautiful and quite informative. I may need a copy.
“The charm and uniqueness of New York City was never more beautifully and whimsically created for children than in Miroslav Sasek’s This Is New York. First published in 1960, his vision of New York nearly forty years ago still remains fresh: the hustle and bustle of Times Square, the ethnic neighborhoods, the awe-inspiring architecture. Sasek captured the essences of New York that delight children and parents, many of whom who will remember the book from their childhood.”
Have a look inside it at amazon.com* – They also do San Francisco, Paris, & of course London. Perfect for traveling with a kid of any age.
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This is an essential for next time I get to visit my home city (yes I’m still talking about London). A guide to the well known (and not so much) coffee shops in my favorite city. Coffee shops in any city are a great way to get a real feel for the place, the locals, and soak in the atmosphere. If you are visiting London and want the ‘local’ experience, grab this guide, it will take you into neighborhoods you may never have experienced.
Find it on amazon, or find out more on facebook, or twitter. I can’t wait for my copy to arrive, I will sit in a coffee shop here and dream of home.
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I have just read a great article over at INC about Richard Branson’s new book, Like a Virgin: Secrets they won’t teach you at Business School where Jessica Stillman lists Richard’s advice to a 12 year old boy who has a lawn service and it’s something we could all learn from:
Is the pricing right? “Are you charging too much?” asks Branson, who offers a surprising suggestion. “If you are unsure what to charge, you might try the radical Like a Virgin approach: Offer to mow people’s lawns for free, and tell them that if they are happy with your work, they can pay whatever amount they think is appropriate. You never know–you may end up making more money than you expected.”
Is the equipment up to date? “Maybe you need to invest in a better lawn mower to help your son woo customers,” writes Branson. “It is amazing how a loan from one’s family will focus an entrepreneur’s mind.”
Do some research to find your most likely customers. “If old Mr. Smith next door has just hurt his knee, he might love to have someone do his mowing. Are there other people nearby who might need extra help for any reason? A young couple with a new baby, or someone about to go on holiday?”
Can you broaden the services you offer? “Some people like to mow lawns themselves–could you also offer to weed gardens, clean cars, or remove rubbish?”
Offer to donate some of your proceeds to a local charity. “That may help you persuade people to try out your services, since you will also be doing some good for the community,” suggests Branson.
Read the whole article here. Thanks Jessica – the book is on my list now.
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I just came across this Pentagram designed book of typographic conundrums and I’m smiling. (yes, good clever design makes me grin insanely). This book isn’t new, but it’s new to me and so I thought I would share. The good news is that it’s so old that it’s available for a bargain price (only $6) over on amazon* - it would make a great gift
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The Albatros is a very clever bookmark. Insert it into a book in seconds and it automatically saves your page. This is very clever, and clever is always welcome (even if I read the vast majority of my books on kindle these days) Watch the video below for more details…
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You should know by now I’m a huge Seth Godin-ite (which basically means I agree with him a lot).
Today on his blog he published 39 points on How to Succeed – they made me smile, and made me think. I’m not going to copy them here (click on the picture to the left and go read them for yourself) but my conclusion is:
Even if you don’t know what you want, find out how you want to get it.
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I love these examples of playing with your food. They made me smile. Great way to get kids to eat, and adults to be more creative. From the book Funny Food* from Bill and Clair Wurtzel
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I am getting my copy of this today and I’m very excited about it -From Stanford University’s D-School this book is a tool for helping people intentionally manipulate space to ignite creativity. I will update this post when I have read it. It sounds like it’s just my kind of book:
“Appropriate for designers charged with creating new spaces or anyone interested in revamping an existing space, this guide offers novel and non-obvious strategies for changing surroundings specifically to enhance the ways in which teams and individuals communicate, work, play—and innovate. This work is based on years of classes and programs at the d.school including countless prototypes and iterations with d.school students and spaces.”
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This is a book I’ve just added to my wish list (next time there is enough money in Coink) -
“I Wish I Worked There!*”According to the amazon write up:
“Revealing some of the world’s most inspiring workplaces, I Wish I Worked There!* investigates the way 20 famous brands have put innovation at the heart of their culture. Photographs and illustrations detail the way in which companies accommodate creative activity through spaces that: stimulate, enable reflection, promote collaboration and encourage play. Easy-to-adopt principles assist the design, creation or selection of spaces that support creative endeavour. Never before has a title looked specifically at how the working environment fosters the flow of ideas from both practical and emotional perspectives – with business results.”
Sounds like my kind of book. Has anyone read it? (via notcot)
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Don’t forget to enter to win a handmade book, with whatever you want written on the cover.
You have until midnight tonight CST to enter. MORE DETAILS HERE
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A couple of weeks ago on twitter I saw a tweet by Guy Kawasaki (the guy who suggested the red for the plugbug)- he mentioned something about being not in the zone. He had signed someone’s book with a (harmless) insult and showed a photo of it. Of course I loved it and tweeted back about how he could insult me if he ever signed a book for me. He sent me a link and my ‘clever idea’ alert went off in my head immediately. If you go to this page – it will explain more. You put up a photo of you holding Enchantment* , fill in a form and Guy signs a spare book jacket to you and sends it so you can put it on the book. Simple. A great way for him to get photos of people holding the book. A great way for his readers to get signed copies. Win/Win all around. I did it, not really to get the book jacket, but to remind me that there is often a very simple way of doing something.
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