Books Recommended by Designers

The books most recommended by designers, drawn from their real public recommendations.

Tory BurchChris MessinaNate BerkusStephen ShoreJessica HischeEllen LuptonJulie Zhuo
23 experts · 24 most-recommended books · Updated on June 6, 2026
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Books designers recommend most

  1. Graphic Design: A New History
    Graphic Design: A New History
    Stephen J. Eskilson
    Recommended by Ellen Lupton, Steven Heller
  2. Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (3rd Edition) (Voices That Matter)
    Don't Make Me Think, Revisited: A Common Sense Approach to Web Usability (3rd Edition) (Voices That Matter)
    Steve Krug
    Recommended by Andy Budd, Sunit Singh
  3. The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition
    The Design of Everyday Things: Revised and Expanded Edition
    Don Norman
    Recommended by Sunit Singh, Jane Pyle
  4. Snow Crash: A Novel
    Snow Crash: A Novel
    Neal Stephenson
    Recommended by Bret Victor, Rick Bakas
  5. Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
    Creativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True Inspiration
    Ed Catmull, Amy Wallace
    Recommended by Julie Zhuo, Paul Boag
  6. Information Graphics: Space
    Information Graphics: Space
    Simon Rogers, Jennifer Daniel
    Recommended by Jessica Hische, Coleen Baik
  7. How Design Makes the World
    How Design Makes the World
    Scott Berkun
    Recommended by Ellen Lupton, Steven Heller
  8. Discussing Design: Improving Communication and Collaboration through Critique
    Discussing Design: Improving Communication and Collaboration through Critique
    Adam Connor, Aaron Irizarry
    Recommended by Andy Budd, Jennifer Aldrich
  9. How to Make Sense of Any Mess: Information Architecture for Everybody
    How to Make Sense of Any Mess: Information Architecture for Everybody
    Abby Covert
    Recommended by Paul Boag, Val Head
  10. Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
    Sprint: How to Solve Big Problems and Test New Ideas in Just Five Days
    Jake Knapp, John Zeratsky, Braden Kowitz
    Recommended by Jessica Hische, Andy Budd
  11. The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.
    The Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.
    Edward R. Tufte
    Recommended by Bret Victor, Michael Okuda
  12. The User Experience Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide
    The User Experience Team of One: A Research and Design Survival Guide
    Leah Buley
    Recommended by Andy Budd, Paul Boag
  13. 747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation
    747: Creating the World's First Jumbo Jet and Other Adventures from a Life in Aviation
    Joe Sutter, Jay Spenser
    Recommended by Sebastiaan De With
  14. Reinventing Comics: The Evolution of an Art Form
    Reinventing Comics: The Evolution of an Art Form
    Scott McCloud
    Recommended by Bret Victor
  15. Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
    Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
    Scott McCloud
    Recommended by Bret Victor
  16. The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces
    The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces
    Stephen Coles, Erik Spiekermann
    Recommended by Fabio Sasso
  17. The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
    The Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
    Ben Horowitz
    Recommended by Julie Zhuo
  18. Lovecraft Country: A Novel
    Lovecraft Country: A Novel
    Matt Ruff
    Recommended by Mitch Gerads
  19. The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity
    The State of Affairs: Rethinking Infidelity
    Esther Perel
    Recommended by Chris Messina
  20. The Alchemist: 25th Anniversary Edition
    The Alchemist: 25th Anniversary Edition
    Paulo Coelho
    Recommended by Chris Messina
  21. What Becomes a Legend Most: A Biography of Richard Avedon
    What Becomes a Legend Most: A Biography of Richard Avedon
    Philip Gefter
    Recommended by Stephen Shore
  22. Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
    Build: An Unorthodox Guide to Making Things Worth Making
    Tony Fadell
    Recommended by Sebastiaan De With
  23. The UX Book: Agile UX Design for a Quality User Experience
    The UX Book: Agile UX Design for a Quality User Experience
    Rex Hartson, Pardha S. Pyla
    Recommended by Fabio Sasso
  24. Designing with the Mind in Mind: Simple Guide to Understanding User Interface Design Guidelines
    Designing with the Mind in Mind: Simple Guide to Understanding User Interface Design Guidelines
    Jeff Johnson PhD
    Recommended by Jane Pyle

The designers

Tory Burch
Tory Burch
Founder, Designer & Executive Chairman @toryburchfdn @torysport
2 book recommendations
A Life: A Memoir by Simone VeilThe Rise of the Rest: How Entrepreneurs in Surprising Places are Building the New American Dream
Chris Messina
Chris Messina
Inventor of the hashtag, product designer and startup advisor
26 book recommendations
Hubris: The Inside Story of Spin, Scandal, and the Selling of the Iraq WarThe Alchemist: 25th Anniversary EditionReady Player One
Nate Berkus
Nate Berkus
Interior Designer + Dad + Double Virgo
3 book recommendations
UltraModern: Samuel Marx Architect, Designer, Art CollectorNavajo Textiles: The William Randolph Hearst CollectionSmall Garden Style: A Design Guide for Outdoor Rooms and Containers
Stephen Shore
Stephen Shore
American photographer pioneering color in art photography
2 book recommendations
Marriage and Lasting Relationships with Asperger's Syndrome (Autism Spectrum Disorder)What Becomes a Legend Most: A Biography of Richard Avedon
Jessica Hische
Jessica Hische
Lettering artist, illustrator and type designer
7 book recommendations
Drawing Type: An Introduction to Illustrating LetterformsInformation Graphics: SpaceIn Progress: See Inside a Lettering Artist's Sketchbook and Process, from Pencil to Vector (Hand Lettering Books, Learn to Draw Books, Calligraphy Workbook for Beginners)
Ellen Lupton
Ellen Lupton
Design Chair at MICA and Curator Emerita at Cooper Hewitt
19 book recommendations
Big Data Big Design: Why Designers Should Care about Artificial IntelligenceGraphic Design: A New HistoryHow Design Makes the World
Julie Zhuo
Julie Zhuo
Co-Founder of Sundial and author of The Making of a Manager
5 book recommendations
Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the EndCreativity, Inc. (The Expanded Edition): Overcoming the Unseen Forces That Stand in the Way of True InspirationThe Hard Thing About Hard Things: Building a Business When There Are No Easy Answers
John Gruber
John Gruber
Creator of Markdown, blogger and podcast host
3 book recommendations
If I Ran the Circus (Classic Seuss)Becoming Steve Jobs: The Evolution of a Reckless Upstart into a Visionary LeaderCreative Selection: Inside Apple's Design Process During the Golden Age of Steve Jobs
Daniel Chong
Daniel Chong
Creator of WE BARE BEARS for Cartoon Network/ your friend, sorta.
2 book recommendations
FrederickMy Milk Toof: The Adventures of ickle and Lardee
Bret Victor
Bret Victor
Founder of Dynamicland
34 book recommendations
Reinventing Comics: The Evolution of an Art FormThe Visual Display of Quantitative Information, 2nd Ed.Understanding Comics: The Invisible Art
Nina Simon
Nina Simon
Spacemaker/CEO @ofbyfor_all. Designer, instigator, and advocate for community-driven institutions. And treehouses.
3 book recommendations
Eight Dates: Essential Conversations for a Lifetime of LoveRadical Candor: Fully Revised & Updated Edition: Be a Kick-Ass Boss Without Losing Your HumanityThe Surprising Power of Liberating Structures: Simple Rules to Unleash A Culture of Innovation (Black and White Version)
SH
Steven Heller
Co-chair of the School of Visual Arts MFA Design program and AIGA medal for lifetime achievement recipient
4 book recommendations
Good Pictures: A History of Popular PhotographyGraphic Design: A New HistoryUniversal Principles of UX: 100 Timeless Strategies to Create Positive Interactions between People and Technology (Volume 4) (Rockport Universal, 4)

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