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Parallel thoughts in different times. Bright Minds, Beautiful Ideas: Bruno Munari, Charles and Ray Eames, Marti Guixe, Jurgen Bey. Edited by Ed Annink and Ineke Schwartz.
This is quite possibly the quickest book I have ever read in all of my learned history. Since setting the task for myself at the beginning of the year to read one book per month I have roughly taken around a month, or a week under to polish off every word in previous titles I have read. Well, that was, until I came to this book.
I cannot remember where I got the link from or the reccomendation for the book but what lies within the pages is inspiration at it’s purest. The aspirations of the four people (Charles and Ray Eames counted as one) are truely disclosed. The background of the designers is set well via timelines within the book detailing important parts of history like the invention of the Microchip in 1959!
The opening paragraph is definately one of the best openers to a book I have read for a while, and throws accross an amazing description of exactly what a designer is. For the designer, or the non-designer the description is wonderful.
Now, the book starts off with interviews with three out of the four contenders and with a fourth passage written by Bruno Manari most likely due to the fact that he isn’t with the living world anymore.
Unfortunately the book could do with a little more written passage by the writers delving into the depths of some of the meanings behind work or designers words and descriptions of the work. The book is about comparing the different designers and their similar thoughts within different era’s. One of the main things missing is the comparison by the authors, a sort of written analytical passage. Still, there is plenty of information to compare the designers, their practice and their ideas and the book makes out a clear idea of what the thought behind each of the designers is.
This book is definately an excellent read and will act as a fantastic start to further reading on each of the designers. It’s more of a case of choosing which one to read about next rather than being satisfied with the information one might have learnt. So, the Eames’, Bruno Munari, Marti Guixe and Jurgen Bey are all on my wishlist for future reading!
Available from Amazon.co.uk for £19.20
More on brightmindsbeautifulideas.org
