Visual Aid: Stuff You've Forgotten, Things You Never Thought You Knew, and Lessons You Didn't Quite Get Around to Learning

by Draught Associates (Editor), Duncan McCorquodale (Editor)

There are times in your life when you find yourself pondering basic general knowledge questions and your gaps in information. So, if you’ve passed through education and still find yourself asking “Where’s your liver?” or “What beats a full house in poker?” and are too embarrassed to ask, this book can help.

Visual Aid provides the answers to the little questions in life in a simple colourful and engaging way. Included are: colour wheels, universal flags, star constellations, correct tablesettings, how reflexology works, the Italian wine regions, how to tie a knot, how to use chopsticks, sign language, morse code and many more. This eclectic collection of illustrations and diagrams will get you up to speed on life's basics, without the need for extensive reading—or even your utmost attention. In a small, handy format this accessible guide is perfect for anyone with an interest in visual stimuli or a thirst for general knowledge.

Genres: Nonfiction, Reference, Design, Art, Science

196 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2008

Reviews

[Tori · Rating 4 out of 5]

I learned a lot from this book. This was one of those books I picked up in the bookstore and had to own. I've been especially interested in infographics recently and this book is a few hundred pages of, exactly as the title implies, visual aids, to remembering everything from the colors of the rainbow to cuts of beef. I also learned that there was a different sign language for the US and UK and it shows both. I'm now inspired to learn the phonetic alphabet, the wine regions of France and Italy and the parts of the human body. I've also been interested in world flags lately and this is a handy study aid for that. Another fabulous gift book, and a fantastic reference manual in just the visual way I love to learn. This is going to be great for learning new things. It was a fabulous coffee shop "read".

[Fernando Nunes · Rating 3 out of 5]

A light book that you can read when you haven't other to do it. Nice design and good graphics.

[Rach_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really fun little book of info graphics about a whole range of topics.

[Coco Ramponi]

fun little facts for a fun little kid (me)

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of the visualizations in this book were striking... Most however, were pretty ordinary and more confusing than insightful. Additionally (and though I probably shouldn't have been surprised) they were all done in the same style and seemed to have the same 'take' on things. So one visualization for how something worked would be imagined in the same way as how something else worked. Likewise for size, scale, etc.

[Lynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very cool book. It literally is page after page of illustrations of things you should know, for example Henry VIII's wives, the comparative sizes of the planets in the solar system, hands of poker and the make up of the human eye.

Great to browse through and very cool for kids.

[Marijn Scholtus · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bought at the Design Museum in London, funny little book that lives up to its title with loads of infographics on many, many things. From baking pancakes to the size of fictional space ships, it’s there.

[onelmon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think I must have been a daydreamer during my high school time or else, I wouldn't have not know everything in this book.

A lot of information, general knowledge, but doesn't necessarily useful to know.

[Michael Lenz · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic book and was delighted to find out they have just opened the Visual Aid Shop an online shop of all the pages as posters: www.visualaid-shop.com

[Amy · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a creative media specialist, this is a go-to source for interesting visual presentation of ideas.