I try to learn something new nearly every day, or at least better understand the things I'm interested in. My inspiration and study covers a wide range of disciplines, which might seem disjointed at first glance. But if you look closely, you start to see the connections and overlap.
I still love physical books and frequently add new titles to my collection when they resonate with my exploration. The books below have been — and continue to be — indispensable sources of knowledge, insight and inspiration over the years.
Broadly speaking, they cover general design principles, visual design, development, pure mathematics, architecture and interior design. It's always been fascinating to find common themes and pathways between those disciplines and my education is ongoing. I've had most of these books on my shelf for years. It's not my full library, but these are the ones I return to often. They've all shaped my thinking in various ways.
They are presented here in no particular order.
![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e200165058fe89637c810_71ksgnACl3L.jpg)
Grid Systems in Graphic Design
Josef Müller-Brockmann
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2251ab34c5702215dde4_41y31M-zcgL.jpg)
Javascript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
Jon Duckett
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e22e821cd6f9b7cbad41f_41D2mJ4hcZL.jpg)
An Invitation to Applied Category Theory: Seven Sketches in Compositionality
Brendan Fong, David I. Spivak
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2a644438bd66ae627388_619ncDeLijL.jpg)
The Design of Everyday Things
Don Norman
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2a8d61befb49825980c6_81uolgshWbL.jpg)
Universal Principles of Design
William Lidwell, Katina Holden, Jill Butler
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2af2751063a6a16306cc_51RZ67ZWGDL.jpg)
Experiences in Visual Thinking
Robert H. McKim
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2b182d2671e4a8915f10_61gbpXNQ3tL.jpg)
Introduction to Graph Theory
Richard J. Trudeau
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2bf6568e1412db96af67_81aLhw9jZ6L.jpg)
Making and Breaking the Grid
Timothy Samara
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2c57e515d1163da66d96_41G4QTgA4vL.jpg)
The Jazz of Physics
Stephon Alexander
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2d351aab0050cd3364db_41PPjX4dA-L.jpg)
This is Service Design Thinking
Multiple Authors
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2d6434313ace997c7afc_81fx0cfzSGL.jpg)
This is Service Design Doing
Multiple Authors
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2dc2454ed92a97ea5780_51GydrZ51BL.jpg)
The ABCs of Triangle, Square, Circle: The Bauhaus and Design Theory
Ellen Lupton, J. Abbot Miller, ed.
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2e2db1e16cd1a2977610_711IEWacYAL.jpg)
Computer Science Distilled
Wladston Ferreira Filho
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2f0b2631f9b87e3bed64_41gw-g5s1wL.jpg)
The Layout Book
Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e2feac7a44a26efcb91bd_51oYH9v4E8L.jpg)
Design Thinking for Strategic Innovation
Idris Mootee
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e302981782bf66b108f7c_41zMw4akQvL.jpg)
Design-Driven Innovation
Roberto Verganti
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e30bdea147162e667d424_41o8maAoUpL.jpg)
Building Construction Illustrated
Francis D.K. Ching
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e312afa86f3393a498291_51zLpkr3OWL.jpg)
Building Structures Illustrated: Patterns, Systems and Design
Francis D.K. Ching
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e317ecf42db6cf45b8991_71Epl2EViUL.jpg)
50 Architects, 50 Buildings
Pamela Buxton, ed.
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e322c7dbd641c017ee323_61KcJAjZTeL.jpg)
101 Things I Learned in Architecture School
Matthew Frederick
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e3262caf85a6a52277cd3_71KEbLHdmEL.jpg)
Graphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstorming
Ellen Lupton, ed.
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e32b7fac47f4324e78db1_71lL8ewG-RL.jpg)
The Interior Design Reference + Specification Book
Chris Grimley, Mimi Love
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e331599192767542a4975_81AtMsI%2BoCL.jpg)
Archetypes in Branding
Margaret Pott Hartwell, Joshua C. Chen
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e3349097cd68ffc9153bd_81iXF8yvocL.jpg)
Understanding Industrial Design
Simon King, Kuen Chang
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e33a7d5ddab8041fd2af6_81CPsCIWqdL.jpg)
Layout Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids
Beth Tondreau
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/646e33dbf171e5d5d772bf40_8111RSRJMgL.jpg)
Universal Methods of Design
Bella Martin, Bruce Hanington
more info![](https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/57c6df46f98baf7819af0b2e/64d3b3fb2511f2e30f6c2f8c_FVS_CoverMockup_00.jpg)
Flexible Visual Systems
Dr. Martin Lorenz
more info