We tend to read a lot around here and a while ago decided we wanted a way to let our visitors know of books that we thought were insightful, beneficial, or inspirational within the field of design. In the past we would occasionally post a small write up of a book or even a film that we wanted to recommend on our blog. However, as the posts were already infrequent, over time they would get lost within the news, updates, and other finds that we share. 

So as part of a larger group of updates, we’ve revisited the idea of our suggested readings, taken the few books and films already listed, added several recommendations, and collected them on a single site. We think this will provide our visitors a simple way to discover and purchase the same things that brought some inspiration into our studio. Hopefully you will as well.  

You can visit the site at theshelf.gruntmonkey.com

It’s no secret we read a lot of design and art related books around here, and pass along suggestions of quality reads. So when this floated our way via Boing Boing this morning we were all over it. Typographer John Berry is releasing “a series of small books that take a critical look at typography and design in our everyday lives” The first in the series, titled Dot-font: talking about design  is available for free download at http://dot-font.com

Three documentaries and a catalog.

Herb & Dorothy:
Art collecting within your means.

Art & Copy: Inside Advertising’s Creative Revolution:
Art making for hire.

Beautiful Losers:
Making art because you love to. 

Also available is the exhibition catalog for Beautiful Losers.
All are available via Amazon.

New books for you all to check out:

The first is Rework from Jason Fried and David Hansson (the founders of 37signals)

Rework offers a fresh approach to the thinking process that can lead to success. It’s another book that attempts to show that “business as usual” may not be the right way.

You can order here (via Amazon).

The next is OBEY: Supply & Demand - The Art of Shepard Fairey

I made it to Cincinnati a couple weekends ago to see the exhibition of the same name at the Cincinnati Art Center and if you are a fan of Fairey’s work you owe it to yourself to make the trip and check it out. The most impressive part of the show was just the amount of work that he has produced over the 20 years that is covered. This book is a great companion to the exhibition and is full of photos of essays covering Fairey’s career as an artist and designer.

You can get it here (via Amazon).