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.

As a vivid reader of The New Yorker, I thoroughly enjoyed Vinciguerra’s behind-the-scene stories of the brilliant minds—including the witty theater critic Wolcott Gibbs, the peculiar founding editor Harold Ross, the lustrous cartoonist James Thurber, and the wizard of prose E.B. White—that shaped one of the most influential publications in the world. Vinciguerra’s writing is scrupulous, fair, and entertaining. If you love The New Yorker, you’ll enjoy Cast of Characters as well.

I bought this book for my kids to learn a bit about the Vietnamese legends and folktales I loved in my childhood. Despite the gorgeous illustrations by Nguyễn Thị Hợp and Nguyễn Đông, the kids show no interest yet; therefore, I read the stories myself. The stories are retold by Nguyễn Thị Minh Phước who learned about these stories from parents. While I appreciate her effort for making these stories available in English, I still prefer the Vietnamese versions. In addition, I don’t know why she left out the mystical legend of the Dragon King Lạc Long Quân and the Fairy Princess Âu Cơ.

A beautifully designed book—featuring 52 fascinating stories about collectors, booksellers, and dealers who uncovered rare manuscripts and antiquarian books in unlike places and at bargain prices—is a special treat for book lovers and appreciators.

This concise guide—packed with rich visual examples and clear instructions—is a good resource for graphic design students to learn about brand identity.

Julia Cameron’s The Artist’s Way is a 12-week program to help unlock your creativity. One of the main tools is to write three pages every morning with whatever comes to your mind. Cameron’s message and exercise are simple to follow. Even Elizabeth Gilbert credits this book for writing her Eat, Pray, Love.