The books I recommend to designers

What to read when you’re learning (or struggling with) design

Books are a surprisingly good way to learn about design.

I say “surprisingly” because it’s easy to assume digital design is best learned with digital tools. But I always seem to learn the fundamentals best when reading paper books.

These are the books I recommend to designers — to my students, clients, coworkers, and friends. With a few exceptions noted below, I’ve actually read all of these books (no Tufte), and I think they each have something important to say to new designers.

This list skews towards product design and creative process. If you have recommendations for books on graphic design, industrial design, or design history, let me know!