Creatives on the books which have formed them
Books are one of the cornerstones of our learning. They enable us to teach ourselves new skills, provide insights into other real and imaginary worlds, and encourage us to look inward to explore our outlook on life. Big fans of the written word, the CR team decided to ask individuals from every corner of the creative industry to share the books that have played a defining role in both their lives and their work.
The results are wonderfully diverse and range from classic books by some titans of the industry to other niche titles on topics such as ethnography. We hope that you enjoy reading their posts as much as we do, and that they may encourage you to reflect on the books you have taught the most over the years. Happy reading!
CRAIG OLDHAM, FOUNDER, THE OFFICE OF CRAIG OLDHAM
For me, the book that I cherish, share and return to more than any other must be a heartbreaking work of amazing genius by Dave Eggers. It may not sound like the most conventional book to offer design or creative training since it is a memoir novel, but in truth, that's where its strengths lie. Everything about this book is a deliberate act and expression of creativity. The way it is made, and the way the subsequent editions were made, are embodied in a craftsmanship. His honesty and candor is alarmingly pure. And the way it is composed has immeasurably influenced my writing and my desire to write.
Although it contains some parts of graphic design (Eggers was a working designer before this book made him an author, so to speak), you won't find any grid systems, color theory, typographic rigor or anything like that here. But I've always believed that the best thing about design is not the design itself, but what you can participate in with design. This book showed me that and still shows it.