Easy to digest and filled with a good collection of glossy exciting images. Big fonts allowing for an enjoyable and entertaining account of the history of Industrial Design. This is the second history of ID book I’ve taken on and each time I get a little bit more out of the story and this book was no exception.
From the kickoff of the coal powered Industrial revolution to the heyday of the roaring 20’s to the depths of the Second World War and back up and out again to the multicolored land of candy coated plastic everything. The pages turn quick when superstar postmodern showboats like Sottsass, Graves, and Wanders barrel onto the scene trying their best to flip the whole thing on its head. Luckily for everyone, the 80’s finally come to an end and local heroes like Esligner and Jony Ive pull back the curtain and reveal the accoutrements of the brave new world. Like most of the research I’ve done on the topic of Industrial Design history, the story ends with the unfortunate topic of climate change. I’ve been on the hunt for a less depressing theme to the current state of design but sadly, Sparkes doesn’t provide one here. Still a good read and a staple on my recommendation list for years to come I am sure.
