The Form of the Book Book

by Catherine de Smet, Fraser Muggeridge (Editor), Sara De Bondt (Editor)

Now it in its second printing, The Form of the Book Book brings together essential essays on the book its history, present, and possible futures by preeminent graphic designers and graphic design theorists/historians including Chrissie Charlton, Catherine de Smet, James Goggin, Jennie Eneqvist, Roland Früh & Corina Neuenschwander, Sarah Gottlieb, Richard Hollis and Armand Mevis. In a nod to Jan Tschicholds famous collection of essays The Form of the Book, first published in 1975, this book offers in-depth analyses of key moments in the history of book design in order to better imagine the many forms the book will take, and is already taking, in our digital age.

Genres: Design, Nonfiction, Books About Books

Paperback

First published January 1, 2015

Reviews

[Erika Verhagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

A real mixed bag of essays, but does contain what might possibly be my favourite line about book design ever:

"No matter what you do, in the end all books look like books, they don't look like buildings or cars [...]".

I'm already planning my book disguised as a car.

[Andrew · Rating 3 out of 5]

A lovely little artifact documenting papers presented at a conference in 2009 (mine is the fourth printing with pink cover).

Some of the essays are particularly interesting, some less so. I say 'artifact' because some of the essays are very much of the conference, and at least one is outdated... ironically (or perhaps not) the one covering the work of The Institute for the Future of the Book (whose website, I discover, hasn't been updated since 2017; and it transpired that the future of the book (so far anyway) wasn't some digital marvel (the emergence of digital forms notwithstanding), but rather - books - pretty well exactly as your parents remembered them as children).

The thing that pleases me most about this book is its very existence - people taking the trouble to have a conference about the form of the book, being interested in those stories and conversations, then caring enough to lovingly craft an artifact in book form of that conference, which then goes through at least four printings, drawing in readers like me.

[Christoph Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked reading the book.

I love books, I love collecting books and signatures. So I love a bit of meta literature about books.

But: the most useful information is the two pages on the inner part of the front flap.

[Kaitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Largely informative and accessible essays on book design and the role of the designer.

[wiwi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some of these essays are better than the other (I'd say mostly depending on what interests you out of the discussed topics), but in general it's a good bunch.

[Hannah Baklien]

Läst i 📖Bokens klubb📖 dec 2024

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

As referencing graphic design (and book design) as an undergraduate usually consists of blogs brimming with portfolio images next to soft-porn, this book certainly succeeds in it's aim as an alternative. Highlights are the opening two essays by Catherine de Smet, James Goggin. Then the closing essay by Armand Mevis. The four other central essays are interesting in their own ways, but lack a clear 'point', which the others more clearly have. Small little thing clocking up at only 95 pages, but lovingly produced and a joy to experience.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Helpful overview of some lectures that were given on "book". Not super in depth but it pointed me to some further research. Great references. Esp. liked the essay on the lost years of the Most Beautiful Swiss Book award.

[Desmond]

Maybe worth the price just for James Goggin’s essay, but there are PDFs of that floating around online. The other pieces are not memorable.