A collection of 40+ books for designers. These are an affordable mix of reference, design theory and practical guides that cover logo, brand identity, packaging, graphic design and related disciplines, recommended by established designers and managed by Richard Baird.
Donald Soutar
Detail in Typography by Jost Hochuli
Logo Modernism by Jens Muller
Typography by Emil Ruder
Josef Muller-Brockmann by Kerry W Purcell
Robert Holmkvist
Visual Language by Karl Gerstner
Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller-Brockmann
A Designer’s Art by Paul Rand
The New Typography by Jan Tschischold
Loose Collective
The Medium Is The Massage by Marshall McLuhan
The Art of Looking Sideways by Alan Fletcher
8vo: On The Outside by Mark Holt
Visible Signs by David Crow
Karoshi
The Vignelli Canon (Free PDF)
TD 63–3 Total Design and its Pioneering Role in Graphic Design
Josef Muller-Brockmann Pioneer of Swiss Graphic Design
How to be a Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul
Oliver Brown
How to be a Graphic Designer, Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy
Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works by Erik Spiekermann
Design for the Real World by Victor Papanek
Type Only by Tony Brook, Claudia Klat, Mark Sinclair and Adrian Shaughnessy
Mike Sullivan
Wilhelm Deffke: Pioneer of the Modern Logo
The Graphic Work of Philippe Apeloig
100 Years of Swiss Graphic Design
30 Years of Swiss Typographic Discourse in the Typografische Monatsblatter:
TM RSI SGM 1960–90
Joseph Bramall
Design for the Real World by Victor Papanek
Design as Art by Bruno Munari
Designing for the Digital Age by Kim Goodwin
Design as a Second Language by Bob Gill
Brent Couchman
Studio Culture by Tony Brook & Adrian Shaughnessy
Saul Bass A Life in Film & Design
Design Form & Chaos by Paul Rand
ZAG The Brand Gap by Marty Neumeier
Richard Cook
The Shape of Design by Frank Chimero
Wolfgang Tillmans by Phaidon
Designing for Emotion by Aarron Walter
Neoism, Plagiarism and Praxis by Stewart Home
Josh Nychuk
A Primer of Visual Literacy by Donis A. Dondis
Elements of Typographic Style by Robert Bringhurst
Grid Systems in Graphic Design by Josef Muller Brockmann
Marks of Excellence by Per Mollerup
Richard Baird
Thoughts on Design by Paul Rand
Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design by Micheal Bierut
The Geometry of Type by Stephen Coles
Brand New by Wally Olins