The Industrial Design Reader

Reviewers praise this book as an excellent and essential collection of digestible, thought-provoking writings on design history. It is highly recommended as a very useful primer on industrial design history and theory, containing many great stories and insightful information. Readers found it to be a fantastic history of industrial design, told through the perspectives of those who shaped it, with essays outlining the evolving issues and dynamics of the field from the craft movement to modern day. Many consider it a collection of monumental essays, marking significant milestones in design discourse, making it a must-have for anyone interested in the subject.

Despite its merits, some readers found the book not particularly riveting or, at times, pretty boring. A common initial challenge was the prose of the earlier essays, which some described as difficult to get into due to their 19th-century style.

Overall, while some readers initially struggled with the writing style of the older selections, many found that the book became easier and more intriguing as it progressed, ultimately covering a broad range of thought-provoking material. This book is ideal for students and anyone with a keen interest in the history of industrial design, its foundational theories, and the evolution of its debates. It serves as a valuable resource for understanding how the field has developed through generations, making it particularly suited for those seeking a comprehensive collection of key historical texts.