Maybe like me, you remember the days when Desktop Publishing was in its infancy and millions of ugly pages were created by people who had no talent or experience in design, but did own new software that would let them create those ugly pages very quickly.
But not all designs just sit on a page; they move across screens large and small. And again, as hardware and software become ever more powerful, we're in danger of being deluged with video and motion graphics that suffer from a lack of understanding of the fundamentals of good design and production.
But this book just might keep history from repeating itself. The writer offers insights into the history of motion graphics and then shines a spotlight on groundbreaking examples of more recent work. He talks about concept & design (and even how to come up with good ideas) and then takes you through production and distribution of the work. Some of it is pretty basic, but that's what happens when you're trying to create a book that covers ALL the bases. This guy is apparently a teacher and there's definitely a method to his approach.
And BTW, the accompanying DVD alone is worth the price of the book! It's got a great sampling of work and then the creators of that work talk about what they did and why they did it. You might not recognize the names, but you will certainly recognize some of the images.
If you're looking for a how-to book tied to a specific piece of software, I don't think this book is for you. But if you want a clear and complete understanding of the past, present and future of motion graphics you, this is one is a winner.