In this illuminating and inspiring book, Biz Stone reveals the success behind Twitter. It boils down to two words: empathy and humanity. As a designer and co-founder, Stone helped shaped the culture at Twitter by placing empathy and humanity before technology and money. It’s a recommended read for designers.

1. Art Direction for the Web, by Andy Clarke, is a good start if you want to make memorable web experiences.
2. The Brand Gap, by Marty Neumeier, is an informing read on branding because of the author’s concise writing and clear illustrations.
3. Branding: In Five and a Half Steps, by Michael Johnson, is a must-have guide for creating successful branding in any industry.
4. Build Your Brand Like You Give a Shit, by Bobby Gillespie, is for you if you give a shit about building your brand through leadership and compassion.
5. Designing Brand Identity, by Alina Wheeler, is a comprehensive reference on brand design and development.
6. Don’t Make Me Think, Revisited, by Steve Krug, is the go-to guide for user-experience design.
7. Ordering Disorder, by Khôi Vinh, is the first book that taught me the concept of grid design.
8. Seeing is Forgetting the Name of the Thing One Sees, by Lawrence Weschler, consists of conversations with Robert Irwin whose work had been stripped down to its pure essence: lines, dots, discs, and light.
9. Things a Little Bird Told Me, by Biz Stone, shares the co-founder’s experience in shaping the culture at Twitter, which puts empathy and humanity before technology and money.

This morning I got upset at my wife for leaving the minivan running for sixteen hours. I meant to remind her, but I vent at her instead. I drove to work feeling terrible. Why did I let such a stupid little thing got to me? I immediately apologized when I arrived at work.

In the past few months, I noticed a change in me. I get irritated easily about every little thing and it is fucking up my head. How have I become this way? Stress? Anxiety? Lack of sleep? I am not making any excuse for myself and my behavior. I need to change. I need to refocus my priorities. Letting go of all the things that are out of my control.

Two weeks ago while on vacation, I came across the book that could help me fight my demon. I picked up Richard Carlson’s Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff… and it’s all small stuff out of a bargain bin. The book has 100 advices and each one makes a good blog post, which is perfect for quick reads. The advices that speak to me include: “Ask yourself the Question, ‘Will This Matter a Year From Now?’,” “Surrender to the Fact that Life Isn’t Fair,” “Resist the Urge to Criticize,” “Think of What You Have Instead of What You Want,” “Practice Ignoring Your Negative Thoughts,” and “Be Happy Where You Are.”

Like what I had done this morning, I am applying these advices into my life. I am working out my flaws, emotions, and irritations. I can do it if I can let go off the little things that do nothing good for me except driving me crazy.

As a fan of Jay Z, how in the world did I not read this book six years ago when it was published? Part memoir, part lyrical analysis, Decoded is much better than what I had expected. In particular, the way he writes about the art of hip-hop and his appreciation for different kinds music and artists are compelling. I also glad that he doesn’t focus much on the business side. Unlike what I have read from some critics, the book lives up to his high standard. It is not a disappoitment at all. Now I understand why he rapped, “Fuck critics. You can kiss my whole asshole.” I still have mad respect for this guy.

An expansive collection of George Lois’s logos ranging from successful, unusual to rejected works. His short, smart, and humorous comments on each piece make the book engaging. One in particular is his concept for Novak Djokovic’s active sport wear. He writes, “The extroverted Serbian, Novak Djokovic, one of the greatest tennis players of all time, didn’t have the balls to run with this logo.” If you’re into logo design, this book is a must-have by your side.

Có một thời như thế tập họp những bài báo của Nguyễn Đắc Xuân phần lớn viết về đề tài chóng chiến tranh của nhạc sĩ Trịnh Công Sơn. Vì những bài viết khác nhau (không chỉ riêng tác giả mà còn có những bài sưu tầm từ nhạc sĩ họ Trịnh và những người bạn cùng thời của ông) nên đọc không được một cách suôn sẽ. Vả lại tôi không có hứng thú về đề tài chính trị nên cũng không thỏa mãn lắm. Chắc phải đợi đến một quyển sách về cuộc đời và sự nghiệp âm nhạc của ông sau này.

Dark Money unveils the startling secrets of the Koch brothers using their money and networks, including the Mercatus Center at George Mason University, to take control of our politic. Mayer’s investigative reporting is thorough and well-documented. Her writing is straightforward, accurate, and engaging. I didn’t think I could get through almost 400 pages about the Koch brothers and their agenda, but I could not put down the book. It’s a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning about how money influenced our political system.

A beautiful marriage between typographic guide and typesetting in InDesign. In a similar coincidence, French’s InDesign Type: Professional Typography with Adobe InDesign is what I wanted to accomplish with Professional Web Typography. To learn professional web typography, read my book. To learn professional print typography, read his.

A short, informative exploration of various types of letterform ranging from handwriting to lettering to packaging. The part on type design, in which Sassoon discusses the legibility in typeface for children, is intriguing. A recommended read.

A beautiful, practical guide for designing brands across all touchpoints. From process to inspiration to resource, Spies’s Branded Interactions is an essential read for designers as well as anyone involved with branding strategy.