History
Recommended list of essential books:
History of Design, History of Objects
History of Modern Design
by David Raizman
Publisher: Prentice Hall, 2004
'history of design from the eighteenth century to present day'
Amazon.com
A History of Graphic Design
by Philip Meggs
Publisher: John Wiley & Sons; 3 edition, 1998
'an essentail book chronicalling the history of western graphic design'
Amazon.com
Typology: Type Design from the Victorian Era to the Digital Age (Paperback)
by Steven Heller, Louise Fili
Publisher: Chronicle Books, 1999
' history of type face, cultural and economic aspects and with examples of good design'
Amazon.com
The ABC's of Bauhaus, The Bauhaus and Design Theory
by Ellen Lupton, J. Abbott Miller (Editor)
Publisher: Princeton Architectural Press, 2000
'The ABC's of Bauhaus traces the origins and impact of the Bauhaus in relation to design, graphic design, and typography'
Amazon.com
Bauhaus (World of Art)
by Frank Whitford
Publisher: Thames & Hudson, 1984 '
the story of bauhaus, its philosophy, people and its contributions'
Amazon.com
Bauhaus 1919-1933
by Magdalena Droste, Bauhaus Archiv
Publisher: Taschen, 2002
'its about the people, the works and the thoughts at bauhaus'
Amazon.com
The Ulm School of Design: A View Behind the Foreground
by Rene Spitz
Publisher: Edition Axel Menges, 2002
'provides the history of the Ulm School of Design, considered as a very influential educational institution'
Amazon.com
Ulm Design: The Morality of Objects
by Herbert Lindinger (Editor), David Britt (Translator)
Publisher: The MIT Press; 1st MIT Press ed edition, 1991
'about the school, curriculum, ideas and people by the professor of design at Ulm'
Amazon.com
Industrial Design
by John. Heskett
Publisher: Thames & Hudson; Reprint edition (February 1, 1985)
'has an overview of history, process and methods'
Amazon.com
American Design Ethic: A History of Industrial Design
by Arthur J. Pulos
Publisher: The MIT Press; Reprint edition, 1986
'history of American products and the philosophy behind their design, use, and manufacture points to the process'
Amazon.com
Objects of Design
by Paola Antonelli
Publisher: Museum of Modern Art, 2003
'features a wide variety of industrial and domestic artifacts by great designers of the modern period'
Amazon.com
Japanese Design : A Survey Since 1950
by Kathryn B Hiesinger, et al
Publisher: Philadelphia Museum of Art, 1995
Amazon.com
The Streamlined Decade
by Donald J. Bush
Publisher: George Braziller, 1975
Amazon.com
A Century of Design: Design Pioneers of the 20th Century
by Penny Sparke
Publisher: Barron's Educational Series, 1998
'History of design through the works of designers and their works'
Amazon.com
Design of the 20th Century
by Charlotte J. Fiell, Peter M. Fiell
Publisher: Taschen America Llc 2001
'covers the influence of design in the 20th century'
Amazon.com
Landmarks of Twentieth-Century Design: An Illustrated Handbook
by Kathryn B. Hiesinger, George Marcus
Publisher: Abbeville Press; 1st ed edition, 1993
'study of international design, decade by decade, with essays on the trends, innovations, and significant objects of each period'
Amazon.com
Icons of Design: The 20th Century (Prestel's Icons)
by Volker Albus (Editor), Reyer Kras (Editor), Jonathan M. Woodham (Editor) Publisher: Prestel Publishing, 2000
'tells the story of 80 ordinary items which gained iconic status during the course of the 20th century'
Amazon.com
Industrial Design 19th To 21st
by Galeries Nationales Du Grand Palais (France), Jocelyn De Noblet (Editor), Jocelyn De Noblet (Editor)
Publisher: Flammarion, 1996
'a collection of essays on Industrial Design as Mirror of the Century'
Amazon.com
Designing the 21st Century
by Charlotte J. Fiell, Peter M. Fiell
Publisher: Taschen, 2001
'book on the future of product, furniture, lighting, ceramic, glassware, and textile design'
Amazon.com
Vision of the Future
by Stefano Marzano
Publisher: Uitgeverij V + K 1996
'future lifestyles, products and services in the domestic, public, personal and mobile domains'
Amazon.com
History of Objects:
A Century of Car Design
by Penny Sparke
Publisher: Barrons Educational Series; 1st Us edition, 2002
'presents a detailed history of the automobile-but describes cars entirely in terms of design, with attention to the innovative artists who created auto bodies for the world's finest vehicles.'
Amazon.com
The Pencil : A History of Design and Circumstance
by Henry Petroski
Publisher: Knopf; Reprint edition, 1992
'the story of the pencil, considering it not only as a thing in itself, but also as an exemplar of all things that are designed and manufactured.'
Amazon.com
Bicycle: The History
by David Herlihy
Publisher: Yale University Press, 2004
Amazon.com
The Evolution of Useful Things: How Everyday Artifacts-From Forks and Pins to Paper Clips and Zippers-Came to be as They are
by Henry Petroski
Publisher: Vintage; Reprint edition, 1994
'Each item described offers a cultural history lesson, plus there's plenty of engineering detail for those so inclined.'
Amazon.com