HBL Book of the Week:
Information is Beautiful

Wednesday 13 April 2011

The 'In' Colours, from Information is Beautiful by David McCandless


Information is Beautiful is a compilation of prolific infographic designer David McCandless's creations to date. In the world of infographics (beautiful visualizations of sets of data), McCandless is one of the pioneers and his subject matter varies from tracking the escalating price of cocaine from harvest to market, to the crossing paths of time travellers in film and television, via a comparitive study of the real health benefits of 'superfoods' and a consensus cloud of the top 100 books that everyone should read. The varied subject matter is matched by his aesthetic creativity - and information really is easier to take in when McCandless has interpreted it.

HBL loves: everything about this book. It's an impressive coffee table read, beautifully laid out and well-made, and fascinating to either dip into or read all the way through. Highly recommended - especially as the field of infographics looks set to grow and grow.