90 books like Do Design

Oliver Burkman saved me from myself. I had a sneaky suspicion that although I claimed to have weaned myself off the addiction of constant optimization, I wasn't absolutely clean, but reading his book was the best rehab I could imagine.

Oliver is incredibly smart and incredibly creative. I've enjoyed his columns for years, but now he has honed his writing style so brilliantly that I couldn't help but be riveted by what can often be quite a boring subject—time and how we use it.

We are our time, and our fixation with it is often unhealthy. Reading this gave me a perceptual reboot that has made me think quite differently about not only each day and how I use it but also how I should think about life. It's novel, entertaining, and enlightening. It's well worth investing one of your 4000 weeks.

The only time my old agency gave everybody a book it was this one. It was incredibly popular because it was so short, punchy, and beautiful. It was the book that inspired me to write my second about how to survive and thrive in work.

Paul Arden was the creative director at Saatchi's, and he has the most wonderful gift of communicating. The book has no wasted words or square millimeters of design space. It really was created magnificently.

Yes, the content is clear and accessible, but the way it's presented is beyond sublime. The advice that I got from the book was immediately implemented, as it was practical and clear. But the way this book made me feel as I read it was like no other. Everything was possible, and this whole life is the most fantastic adventure.

Writing long books is incredibly simple; writing short ones full of… show more.

I absolutely adore this book. This is a huge thing to say, but I'd probably rank it among my favorites of the last five years. Although the focus is heavily on anxiety and depression, it clearly sets out a fantastic strategy for keeping yourself well and energized. It’s beautifully written; each point is illustrated by a real and emotive story, bringing it to life. You feel your way through this book. I haven't recommended a book to so many people ever.

Johann Hari has a genuine connection to the topic, and it feels like he puts his heart and soul into every word. Rarely do I read something so educational and yet so gripping. It became my favorite conversation piece in any social situation, as it is so relevant to many of us struggling to help families and friends who are suffering from depression and anxiety. Simple, clear, and incredibly… show more.

Like so many people on this planet, I spent many years of my life wanting to be happier. What Paul Dolan does so beautifully in this book is demystify what that really means and how to manifest it in your daily life.

He made what was illusionary, concrete, and tangible. Being Danny Kahneman’s protege at Princeton means he really knows his stuff. He is a talented researcher who knows how to pull together compelling conclusions.

But the real joy of this book is its presentation. It is incredibly clear and punchy, very much like his personality.

I have seen him speak at events over the years, and he writes in a similar style. He builds logic into a firm foundation and then tells you how it is. For many, finding happiness is a dream. After reading his book, I realized that it's no longer something out of reach that I… show more.

As an animator, I first knew of Sanjay Patel through his work at Pixar before discovering his book, Ramayana, a virtual explosion of colour and sharply-edged design, exploring traditional tales from Hindu Mythology through anything but traditional means. Would I have read these tales without the artwork dragging me in? Probably not. But I’m so glad they did, opening my eyes to a whole new world of folklore I was unaware of.

This biography was almost written as a “response” to the Isaacson book. It better covers the NeXT and Pixar years. In fact, it makes the case that those years in Steve Jobs's life were critical for his later success after returning to Apple. This book should probably be read after the Isaacson book because it’s not as comprehensive as the Isaacson book and provides a different perspective.

Clever, comic-book reading, word-loving Flora is more cynical than ever since her parents’ separation. She’s sure her mother loves a shepherdess lamp more than her own daughter. When Flora saves a squirrel sucked up by a neighbor’s vacuum and he returns with super strength and the ability to understand language and write poetry, she finds a kindred spirit. I love this book for its colorful (human and squirrel) characters and subtle exploration of family dynamics. And I love that Flora’s journey, which is emotional rather than physical, isn’t wrapped up with a tidy bow at the end.

Jorge and Rafael have created a lovable trio of heroes with Claudette, Marie, and (personal favorite) Gaston. These three friends go on an adventure to fight a dangerous giant while their entire town tries to stop them. The kids encounter all manner of magical foes who are more than meets the eye, adding up to an adventure that’s as surprising as it is hilarious. 

This book is the best book to get leaders to own the fact that unleashing an organization's creative power requires shifting its energy and culture and ripples from there. It all starts at the Top of The House. Through storytelling, it gave me two compelling insights.

First, it helped me see with clarity that we moved from living in a complicated world into a complex one; setting direction no longer works for leaders within organizations to thrive; now, it is required to shape context, and in return, your teams will feel safe to co-create.

Second, the authors very clearly define innovation in simple terms: Anything that is new and useful is innovative; it doesn’t have to be rocket science.

These insights gave me the courage to explore innovative ways to unleash energy within a system or organization. 

This author is a renowned Master Teacher of storytelling art whose students have won numerous writing awards across the media spectrum. He covers dialogue writing for live theater, film, and television and offers suggestions on building effective dialogue writing skills, no matter the media, even showing how a dialogue line might change depending upon the writing category. He provides easy-to-follow examples of both good and bad dialogue writing in the various media categories.