The projects in this book began as a list Stefan Sagmeister found in his diary under the title 'Things I have learned in my life so far'. Given an incredible amount of freedom by some of his clients, he began transforming these 21 aphorisms into typographic works; they have since appeared as French and Portuguese billboards, a Japanese annual report, on German television, in an Austrian magazine, as a New York direct mailer and as an American poster campaign. Taken together, the collection is part design project, part work of art, part examination of the pursuit of happiness. To this end, noted designer Steven Heller, art critic and curator Nancy Spector and psychologist and "Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile" author Daniel Nettle will contribute essays to the book.
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'Things I Have learned in My Life So Far' confirms that, in the right hands, design really can touch the heart. -- Dazed & Confused
One of this year's most strange and beautiful books ... amazing. -- The Gloss Magazine
One of this year's most strange and beautiful books ... amazing. -- The Gloss Magazine
About the Author
Stefan Sagmeister is among today's most important graphic designers. Since 1993 Sagmeister Inc. has focused on all things printed, including posters, brochures, books and graphics and packaging for music clients. His work has won nearly all the international design awards available. Born in Austria, he now lives and works in New York Daniel Nettle is the author of Happiness: The Science Behind Your Smile. He lives in the UK. Steven Heller has written over 70 books on graphic design, illustration and political art. The recipient of the 1999 AIGA Medal for Lifetime Achievement, he lives in the USA. Nancy Spector has contributed essays to numerous books on contemporary artists, including Maurizio Cattelan, Hiroshi Sugimoto and Anna Gaskell.
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
24 of 28 people found the following review helpful
By Hemant Jain
Format:Paperback
There are countless books on design and many of them are good, even brilliant. And yet one looks for something that is more than a design book with lots of designers' work. One always searches for a book that would act as a trigger, as a spark than can light a million ideas in one's own brain.
A book to do that was Alan Fletcher's Art of Looking Sideways.
And a book which surpasses everything that I have ever seen is Stefan Sagmeister's Things I have learned in my life so far.
Why? Because it is brutally honest.
It is what design was meant to be.
Sagmeister uses his own learnings and converts them into magic. You turn the pages and you are mesmerised by the immensity, the sheer scale of ideas there.
Your mind begins to fill up with images and words and ideas you never thought existed.
You turn the pages and it hits you: Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
And `now' to me started with the book. This book truly changed my life.
I have read the critics say many things like this book being self indulgent. Well, a man who take pains to go around the world to encourage design and design students cannot be self indulgent. He is honest. And every page of this book is a primer for honesty.
And of course, brilliant design.
Sagmeister's design and typography are stuff legends are made of. I am a mere mortal to comment upon those. But I can say this, I have never seen an explosion of so many brilliant ideas in one place ever before.
Stefan Sagmeister has always asked the question: Can design touch someone's heart?
This book will touch millions.
A priceless book.
A book to do that was Alan Fletcher's Art of Looking Sideways.
And a book which surpasses everything that I have ever seen is Stefan Sagmeister's Things I have learned in my life so far.
Why? Because it is brutally honest.
It is what design was meant to be.
Sagmeister uses his own learnings and converts them into magic. You turn the pages and you are mesmerised by the immensity, the sheer scale of ideas there.
Your mind begins to fill up with images and words and ideas you never thought existed.
You turn the pages and it hits you: Thinking life will be better in the future is stupid. I have to live now.
And `now' to me started with the book. This book truly changed my life.
I have read the critics say many things like this book being self indulgent. Well, a man who take pains to go around the world to encourage design and design students cannot be self indulgent. He is honest. And every page of this book is a primer for honesty.
And of course, brilliant design.
Sagmeister's design and typography are stuff legends are made of. I am a mere mortal to comment upon those. But I can say this, I have never seen an explosion of so many brilliant ideas in one place ever before.
Stefan Sagmeister has always asked the question: Can design touch someone's heart?
This book will touch millions.
A priceless book.
11 of 13 people found the following review helpful
By ailsam
Format:Paperback
Is Stefan Sagmeister the Emperor's new clothes of the design world, or does he really deserve the genius tag he's so often given?
After reading Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far, I firmly believe the latter. Sagmeister doesn't disappoint; he makes design fun and accessible, without dumbing down or losing effect - this book illustrates perfectly, both in content and format, that good design works.
The featured projects are fascinating; my reactions ranged from `oh that's sooo gorgeous,' to `how on earth....?' to `what HAPPENED to him to make him think like that?!'
It's beautifully put together - a design book that's not just for designers, with essays and Sagmeister's explanations of the projects, along with fantastic images.
As Sagmeister says, via the help of giant monkeys, "Everybody always thinks they are right," and I think I am in this case - buy it, swap around the covers to your heart's content, and enjoy your very own piece of Sagmeister!
After reading Things I Have Learned In My Life So Far, I firmly believe the latter. Sagmeister doesn't disappoint; he makes design fun and accessible, without dumbing down or losing effect - this book illustrates perfectly, both in content and format, that good design works.
The featured projects are fascinating; my reactions ranged from `oh that's sooo gorgeous,' to `how on earth....?' to `what HAPPENED to him to make him think like that?!'
It's beautifully put together - a design book that's not just for designers, with essays and Sagmeister's explanations of the projects, along with fantastic images.
As Sagmeister says, via the help of giant monkeys, "Everybody always thinks they are right," and I think I am in this case - buy it, swap around the covers to your heart's content, and enjoy your very own piece of Sagmeister!
7 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
There are lots of design books that are about design. Design books for designers. This isn't one of them - it's much more than that. The sheer richness of this book takes a while to take in - you will find new things every time you dip into it. This book is inventive, poignant, informative and unusual - but above all it is beautiful. There's such a wealth of ideas executed with style and an individual confidence that it is hard to say which is best, but I would say it's worth buying the book for the Singapore 'Keeping A Diary' section alone. Also there are a lot of monkeys, and that can never be a bad thing. Full marks.
3.0 out of 5 stars
If you really want to learn something useful this book may not that helpful.
14 Mar 2013
By longyingqi
Format:Paperback|Amazon Verified Purchase
I was expecting more from this book. Instead, there are pictures of Stefan's work and few explanations. Not very informative.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
By B. Conlon
Format:Paperback
Stefan Sagmeister is one of my favourite Graphic Designers and is worldly renowned for his talent.
In this book he gets a chance to showcase his work over the past few years and explain how they came about, he gives his personaly critique aswell which is quite refreshing.
This is a must buy for any budding Graphic Designer as it is a great example of how Graphic Design should be, in my opinion.
In this book he gets a chance to showcase his work over the past few years and explain how they came about, he gives his personaly critique aswell which is quite refreshing.
This is a must buy for any budding Graphic Designer as it is a great example of how Graphic Design should be, in my opinion.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Beyond his design skills, Sagmeister knows how to be PR-able! The book is cool, but more in a sense of coffee table book.
1 of 2 people found the following review helpful
By Jay
Format:Paperback
I consider this book as eye-candy.
The whole experience, from cover to pages, of this book is a pleasure. A great book for the visual reader.
The whole experience, from cover to pages, of this book is a pleasure. A great book for the visual reader.
20 of 35 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
I have to say I am extremely disappointed with this. Everyone at college has said you have just got to buy this book, its amazing. Is it?? No it isn't. Sagmeister is nowhere near being the design genius that he has been tagged with. When you compare it to Alan Fletcher, there is just no competition. I have seen far better work being displayed at the various university degree shows this year to be honest. Especially at Stoke, Birmingham and the fantastic illustration work at Bristol which was truly fantastic.
So whatever you do, keep hold of your money and buy something else. He is very over rated and has been built up on a pedestal when he clearly doesn't deserve to be.
So whatever you do, keep hold of your money and buy something else. He is very over rated and has been built up on a pedestal when he clearly doesn't deserve to be.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
Inspiring
This is one of the most fantastic books I have read recently. With all the talk about physical books becoming more and more extinct, Stefan Sagmeister has created a conceptual... Read more
Published 18 months ago by Joseph Di Stefano
5.0 out of 5 stars
Wonderful
I love this book. It's inspiring, thoughtful and visionary.
Highly recommend.
Highly recommend.
Published on 14 Jan 2010 by Liz
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