I’ve been asked by a number of design graduates and students what books I’d recommend, and as I get through quite a few, I’ve decided to do a regular book review post on my blog of creative books I’ve read.
While I do enjoy the odd eye candy design book, to be honest I can’t really read them for long. And if I do, I’m left with a kind of empty feeling.
I like to know the whys and hows so for me its the books about the thinking behind creative work, the strategy (or indeed, the tactics) that I go for. While aesthetics are important, I like to see what creative work achieves and how it works rather than just what it looks like. I like to hear the stories behind the work, how creative teams came up with the idea and how they sold the idea to the client. I adore listening to people’s experiences, insights and approaches, and I love an anecdote. Enter Predatory Thinking A Masterclass in Outwitting the Competition by Dave Trott.
And a masterclass it is indeed, for every tale in this book has a lesson.