Every day presents an opportunity to learn something new or deepen my understanding of the topics I love. My inspiration and study span a wide range of disciplines, and while they might seem disconnected at first glance, a closer look reveals fascinating connections and overlapping ideas.
I have a deep appreciation for physical books—there’s something enduring about the feel of a well-loved volume. My collection grows constantly, filled with titles that resonate with my journey of exploration. The books below are some of the most impactful in my library, sources of enduring knowledge, creativity, and insight. These works span diverse fields: design principles, visual design, software development, pure mathematics, architecture, and interior design. What fascinates me most is discovering the shared threads—universal themes that link these disciplines together.
These books aren’t just references; they’re companions I return to time and again, shaping my perspectives and fueling my curiosity. While this list is far from exhaustive, it highlights the titles I hold most dear. They are presented here in no particular order, reflecting the organic and ongoing nature of my learning journey.
Grid Systems in Graphic Design
Josef Müller-Brockmann
more infoJavascript & jQuery: Interactive Front-End Web Development
Jon Duckett
more infoAn Invitation to Applied Category Theory: Seven Sketches in Compositionality
Brendan Fong, David I. Spivak
more infoThe Design of Everyday Things
Don Norman
more infoUniversal Principles of Design
William Lidwell, Katina Holden, Jill Butler
more infoExperiences in Visual Thinking
Robert H. McKim
more infoIntroduction to Graph Theory
Richard J. Trudeau
more infoMaking and Breaking the Grid
Timothy Samara
more infoThe Jazz of Physics
Stephon Alexander
more infoThis is Service Design Thinking
Multiple Authors
more infoThis is Service Design Doing
Multiple Authors
more infoThe ABCs of Triangle, Square, Circle: The Bauhaus and Design Theory
Ellen Lupton, J. Abbot Miller, ed.
more infoComputer Science Distilled
Wladston Ferreira Filho
more infoThe Layout Book
Gavin Ambrose, Paul Harris
more infoDesign Thinking for Strategic Innovation
Idris Mootee
more infoDesign-Driven Innovation
Roberto Verganti
more infoBuilding Construction Illustrated
Francis D.K. Ching
more infoBuilding Structures Illustrated: Patterns, Systems and Design
Francis D.K. Ching
more info50 Architects, 50 Buildings
Pamela Buxton, ed.
more info101 Things I Learned in Architecture School
Matthew Frederick
more infoGraphic Design Thinking: Beyond Brainstorming
Ellen Lupton, ed.
more infoThe Interior Design Reference + Specification Book
Chris Grimley, Mimi Love
more infoArchetypes in Branding
Margaret Pott Hartwell, Joshua C. Chen
more infoUnderstanding Industrial Design
Simon King, Kuen Chang
more infoLayout Essentials: 100 Design Principles for Using Grids
Beth Tondreau
more infoUniversal Methods of Design
Bella Martin, Bruce Hanington
more infoFlexible Visual Systems
Dr. Martin Lorenz
more infoGödel, Escher, Bach: An Eternal Golden Braid
Douglas R. Hofstadter
more info