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I enjoyed the book, but I wish that the infographics had been based on information that was more rigorous. ( )

To sell: 8€

These days we are surrounded by data, every transaction online or in a shop is recorded, processed and analysed. That data is sucked into vast databases that are then used to sell you even more stuff.

But in the hands of McCandless this vast data stream is shown in all its magnificence. He has taken the facts and numbers and made them beautiful, elegant and more importantly understandable. The range of subjects he has covered is vast too, there are maps of the internet, global spending, radiation charts, popular books, DNA, the evolution of computers, drugs, religion, alcohol, coffee, google search terms and many many more. All are shown in the most relevant form to aid clarity.

It is not without its flaws; I'm not completely sure that all the data is 100% accurate. Some of the graphical layouts are magnificent, cleverly constructed to portray the maximum amount of information clearly. It doesn't have a huge amount of text, just information. Lots and lots and lots of information. Well worth a look if you are interested in this type of thing, but not up to the standard of of of Tufte's masterpieces. ( )

My understanding when I purchased this book for school was it would help explain how to use ConceptMaps, Visual Graphics etc. however, the book only has graphic but no explains. ( )

Most exciting visual representation of data that I've ever experienced. That being said, sometimes I did not understand how the data was being represented. Overall, visually stimulating and interesting. ( )

Many facts of doubtful authenticity or selective; format far too small and you needs a magnifier to see a lot of detail; many charts far too complicated; colour choice makes text unreadable in some cases (eg. white text on yellow background); USA bias; some facts just plain uninteresting. ( )

One of the best and most original books I've ever picked up. ( )

http://nwhyte.livejournal.com/2224365.html

Compiles David McCandless's personal favourites from the infographics he has posted at http://www.informationisbeautiful.net/ which I have glanced at from time to time in the past, and will now start reading more regularly.

Oddly enough I found myself less interested in the political graphs than in his desperate attempts to make sense of psychobabble and cooking - here's one for instance mapping what flavours go with what main dishes. I also felt that he gave a bit too much weight (ie any at all) to the climate deniers in a couple of compare and contrast graphs. But the futurology ones are all very interesting. The other problem - which is hardly McCandless's fault, but is imposed by the format - is that the graphs are all static. If you want nifty moving graphics of the future (and immediate past) of our world, you need to talk to Hans Rosling over at Gapminder. ( )

The ultimate coffee table book for visual thinkers, it will keep you busy for hours on end. ( )

This is one of my favorite book on my bookshelf. It has not only various interesting knowledge, also the beautiful and creative/fun way of representing the information. I encourage every go take a look inside, and I believe most of you will love it~! ( )

A fun and fascinating nerdy look at interesting cultural phenomenon. The visualization of data both enlightens and changes one's perception of things such as comparisons of global spending. ( )

Communicating information is so important, and usually so poorly done. This is a brilliant achievement in the battle for brevity and clarity. ( )

A wonderful collection of the author's own work in information visualization for topics ranging from popular culture to science, health, religion and the general state of the world. The main distinction of the work is a remarkably strong and clear focus on saying something interesting in new ways. Some academic sources on information visualization tend to focus too much on form; what McCandless does is to show convincingly how much more powerful visual communication is when you care equally about form and content. In terns of genres, the work sits somewhere between information visualization, news graphics and visual communication -- but I think it will be useful and appreciated by any interaction designer concerned with visual aspects of their work.

Loo Reading for graphic designers. OK but not as good as the website. ( )

Here are some of the most extraordinary things you will find out in this book: There is 105 years' worth of oil and 70 years' worth of coal left in the planet at current usage rates; indigotine, or food color E132, has been linked to unpleasant health affects; the opening of carbonated beverages in America releases 389,570 tons of carbon into the atmosphere; the standard colors of happiness in American, Hindu, Native American, and Chinese cultures is yellow, green, white, and red, respectively. David McCandless scours the globe and the Internet to pull together the most salient details on human existence and represents them in beautiful graphs and charts. This book will an absolute delight for anyone looking to get a grasp on current knowledge and belief systems. Highly recommended. ( )

Beautiful and thought-provoking visualizations of complex topics. But if you are planning to buy the book, I'd wait for the next edition as there are a couple of printing errors in this edition. ( )

I LOVE this book. As someone who loves random trivia, it was the perfect read. I loved the collection of information and imagery. I was amused with the list of actors that are better connectors than Kevin Bacon. (Who knew that Dennis Hopper was a way better connector?) The Rock Genre-ology chart was an interesting read and made me want to go to iTunes and pandora to explore. The Right vs Left comparison was fascinating. The Internet Virals was like an online walk down memory lane. This book is gorgeous. You will definitely enjoy flipping through it and then exploring more online. ( )

I spent a fascinated few minutes wandering through his website the other day, and so recognized the cover of his book when I saw it in Borders yesterday. I picked it up, paged through it, and found myself drawn in. This is a book of statistics and of art. The charts are as trivial as "Who Really Runs the World? - conspiracy theories" and a chart of caffeine vs. sugar for various drinks, and as profound as "Global Warming - the arguments of the skeptics vs. the arguments of the consensus". I found the charts of movies of 2007, plotted by financial return vs. average critic's score fascinating. Also enjoyed the comparison of political Left vs. political Right. Lots of trivia, lots of fun, and presented in a way that helps the numbers make sense. He has obviously learned the lessons taught by Edward Tufte in his books on information presentation, and brought them beautifully to bear on some of the more, and less, pressing questions of the 21st century. ( )

shelved at: (A3t) : Drawing / Graphics

shelved at: (A3t) : Drawing / Graphics / price : £20.00