Meggs' History of Graphic Design

by Philip B. Meggs and Alston W. Purvis

Book Overview

Now in its Fourth Edition, this unrivaled, seminal work continues its long tradition of providing balanced insight and thorough historical background. Under the new authorial leadership of Alston Purvis, this authoritative book offers more than 450 new images, along with expansive coverage of such topics as Italian, Russian, and Dutch design. It reveals a saga of creative innovators, breakthrough technologies, and important design innovations.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0471699020
• ISBN13: 9780471699026
• Release Date: January 2006
• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons
• Length: 575 Pages
• Weight: 4.81 lbs.
• Dimensions: 1.6" x 8.9" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

The book is in fine quality but I was disappointed in the lack of slip cover. Had it not have been for the interesting cover of the 4th edition I would have bought a more recent edition elsewhere, so receiving my package so late without it is disappointing.

Most Comprehensive Graphic History text around!

I bought this book for a class and am incredibly impressed. It covers the evolution of graphic communication from the earliest cave paintings to the web. This book has incredible pictures and describes different styles in an easy to understand format. It is thick, but is one of the best reference books for choosing style and historical content. I normally sell back my textbooks, but this one is staying in my library!

A very good book for introductory design

This book gives a concise background on the history of graphic design. It incorporates how graphic artists react to the times and societal issues they are faced with, and how they influence the world around them with their innovations. The collection of images is quite spectacular! A must have for every graphic designer and/or art lover!

The Book

This is The Book, a must-have. Incredibly helpful. What I like best - it provides an outstandingly complete context in which certain individual works and trends were developed. Also, you don't have to read the whole - very big - book to understand the things you're currently looking for; it's a great reference. And if you don't find something, at least you know where else to look and which next bookshelf to address. Nothing comes close.

Must have reference book for graphic designers

In my opinion, this 3rd Edition "A History of GD" is the best reference book written about graphic design. This 500 plus pages book/bible is simply divided into 5 sections, 1) The Prologue to Graphic Design, 2) A Graphic Rennaissance, 3) The Industrial Revolution, 4)The Modernist Era, and 5) The Age of Information. The topics range from the invention of writing to, creation of new typogrphic styles to, the digital revolution and computer art. There are plenty of graphics and photos on every page to accompany the wonderfully written text. If you study art history or graphic design, I think this would be a great reference book to have. It will take some time to read the entire book. But this is like a text book, so, reading only part of the chapters would be quite informative as well. Once you are done, you will definitely appreciate graphic design/graphic designers.

a reference for every project

I was introduced to this book early in my undergraduate studies of design but rediscovered it during my recently completed senior year. It became a reference for every project and a permanent fixture on my bedside table. I was required to read many different books on history but this was the only one that I read time and time again.