Book Review Online Submission—5 points
Project 3 Total—55 points
I just posted an Amazon review of How To Be A Graphic Designer Without Losing Your Soul by Adrian Shaughnessy. I've had this book for a couple years, and I totally understand why most people declare it essential for the young designer. Its a guide to thinking like a professional designer. It is NOT a guide to business interactions, contracts, bids, or anything particularly practical at all. This book simply outlines strategies for approaching obstacles designers face each day.
On Amazon.com the reviews of this book are almost always stellar, but there are a few people who think its a waste of paper. I can certainly identify with those who argue that the publication itself is poorly designed. Everyone agrees the cover is pretty awesome, but inside its a bit of a mess. Sans serif body copy and illegible cyan captions for completely arbitrary pictures make this hard to get through. It IS pretty to look at though.
As for the negative reviews that claim the content is self-congratulatory and worthless, I'm not sure I agree. How would an author provide advice from experience w/o using examples from his or her own career? It is certainly possible, but would be much less effective. I would argue that Shaughnessy wrote a much more...theoretical, philosophical book than some people expect when they pick it up. Pragmatism was not necessarily the goal with this publication. Its more akin to lectures we all get at design workshops. Its a book full of advice.
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