*Starred Review* So ubiquitous is graphic design--commercial messages combining image and text--it generates much of the texture that defines culture and daily life. To awaken greater appreciation for both the creativity and the impact of this often-discounted art form, art historian Eskilson has created a uniquely comprehensive, discerning, and vital history. The story of graphic design and its sister, typography, is intricately tied to the progress of technology. Eskilson begins, therefore, with the advent of the printing press, although graphic designers did not become established professionals until the 1920s, when mass reproduction was in full swing. Plucking sterling examples of commercial materials produced all across Europe and the U.S. as he moves forward in time, Eskilson punctuates his lively commentary with profiles of seminal designers while tracking the back-and-forth surges of influence between graphic design and such fine-art movements as art nouveau, art deco, and cubism. The more contemporary the work, the more fresh and exciting the coverage as Eskilson parses the power of the International Style as the rise of the corporation ignited the golden age of logos, then demystifies the digital era's motion graphics, interactive design, and return of the amateur with the DIY (do-it-yourself) movement. Eye-opening on many levels.--Seaman, Donna Copyright 2007 Booklist

Eskilson (art history, Eastern Illinois Univ.; coauthor, Frames of Reference: Art History and the World) focuses here on the evolution of graphic design since the 19th century as well as on what recent developments in the field of information technology mean for today's designers. In a refreshing divergence from the usual pattern of art surveys, he attends more to social trends associated with graphic design rather than limits the content to artistic styles, time frames, and biographical sketches. The result is an effective description of the political effects of design (e.g., strategies used by illustrators of war posters) and countercultural influences (e.g., drugs and graffiti) supported beautifully by 400-plus large color reproductions. Given the book's readability and attention to larger historical topics, it is recommended as the best graphic design history for public libraries. It is also recommended for academic libraries; however, Philip B. Meggs and Alston W. Purvis's Meggs' History of Graphic Design (Wiley, 2005. 4th), which offers a more complete overview of artistic styles (especially typography), would perhaps be better suited for design history curricula.-Eric Linderman, Euclid P.L., OH (c) Copyright 2010. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.

It should be no surprise that Eskilson's study of the evolution of graphic design from Gutenberg to grunge and beyond is an oft-assigned tome for budding designers. However, one needn't be a student to appreciate Eskilson's ability to hold a narrative thread as art movements, technology, and other influences continue to broaden the scope of his topic as the book progresses. Working his way through a dense and diverse melange of media, such as pulp magazines, photography, architecture, typefaces, logos, Nazi propaganda, movie posters, and signage, Eskilson (coauthor, Frames of Reference: Art History and the World) is an enthusiastic and informative guide. The tome is liberally peppered throughout with iconic images such as Currier and Ives prints, James Flagg's I Want YOU for U.S. Army, and Shepard Fairey's Hope, featuring Barack Obama, as well as digressions on key contributors such as Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Gustav Klimt, and movements like De Stijl. Given the sheer number of topics and concepts encompassed by graphic design, Eskilson isn't able to dwell on any specific subject for too long, which may frustrate some readers. Originally published in 2007, this newly-updated edition adds over eighty new images and revised text, making this an even more essential reference for designers as well as art historians. Photos and illus. (Feb.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.