Recently read

Over the last months, I’ve been reading a couple of trade books recommended by teachers and colleagues. Here are my reviews.

Just finished:

The Guardian Book of English Language ++

A small book containing extracts form Guardian Style, edited by David Marsh (2007)

A useful reference as how to write things right, such as titles and dates, which expressions to avoid, or to get to know a bit of Polari (basically a British gay slang). The more you know, the more you realise how little you know…

A Duo by Paul Arden:

It’s not how good you are, it’s how good you want to be +

Whatever you think, think the opposite ++

The first is the famous one; the later is the interesting one. Maybe it’s because I read Whatever first, sometime last year, and I thought it was a witty book, that was in accordance with all the things you don’t really know how to justify. Not to mention the beautiful layout of the book. Then, I read It’s not how good. The same type of layout, but the magic didn’t work. A bit too patronizing, maybe?

Read in small bits:

The Big Moo by Seth Godin & 32 of world's best business minds +

This is a follow-up of Purple Cow, where dozen of stories help you to understand how you can be truly remarkable (a purple cow in a field of brown cows) and make sure people hear you too. Easy reading on the tube, inspiring stories to give you the guts to challenge everything.

And, last but not least:

D&AD Annual +++

Until this year, only a privileged few could get their hands on the bible of creative excellence in design and advertising of the year, according to the D&AD. For the first time, Taschen makes it available to the public. Marvellous! I like to think of it as my year book… Well, let’s say that I’ve studied some of the featured work during my Master. The only bad thing about this book is that I will have to buy it every year now!

Coming up:

• Conversational Capital (I’m reading it now)
• Jokes and their relation to the unconscious (when I’ll feel psycho-enabled)
• A Smile in the Mind (I just ordered it)