B Is for Bauhaus, Y Is for YouTube: Designing the Modern World from A to Z

A toolkit, crafted in an A to Z format, for understanding the world around us through the way we design and use things. Deyan Sudjic’s latest book, spanning topics from authenticity to Grand Theft Auto to Dieter Rams, has been called “a masterclass in reflection on modern design.” Although it is organized in an A-Z format, it is not a dictionary or encyclopedia in the strictest sense. Rather, it is an essential toolbox for understanding the world through emblematic examples, both historical and contemporary, from the field of design. In standalone chapters, Sudjic explores concepts as a whole, specific movements, or specific objects and people.

The result is a kaleidoscopic vision of the profound way that design (both good and bad) has colored the modern world and influenced our interactions with popular culture. Woven throughout are surprisingly nostalgic recollections and intensely personal perspectives on a designed life from someone who clearly lives and breathes it. Sudjic demonstrates not only a passion for the subject, but also an ability to illuminate what is most inspiring and intriguing about the way we create.