Rating: 
Summary: nothing much
Review: as a creative director, i was impressed by the reviews here - so I ordered one for our team... it was a dissappointing book...
Rating: 
Summary: A Textbook for Creativity
Review: Changes the way you look at everything. Should be a required text for every artist . . . whether neophyte or pro! Unique format . . . ideas on one page are illustrated on facing page. I would bet that this will be on a lot of desk tops, chained to the computer so it won't be stolen!
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Summary: Grossly Overrated; Not For Professionals
Review: Given the reputation of Jim Krause and the number of positive reviews praising his booklet 'Idea Index' I did expect a lot. I was greatly disappointed: (1) the text is by far too superficial to even touch upon the real problems hidden behind a given idea, and; what is most unpleasant, (2) the illustrations simply do not play in the pro's leage.Everyone finding inspiration in in 'Idea Index' will equally love the infamous Corel Draw Clipart Collection. The rest of us would get more ideas in any Graphis periodical or simply on a walk in the park.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Book
Review: GOod book for quick ideas for Graphic Designers - Although I must admit I never seem to use it. -
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Summary: The Perfect Pocket Companion
Review: Great resource for folks trying to find that design element in a logo, lettering or other day to day graphical project -- even for us non-graphic designers out there!
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Summary: Just Add Water...
Review: Heres a book with all kinds of techniques and suggested juxtapositions with this and that and why not try this effect...blah, blah and more blah. This book should have shipped inside a pancake mix box with the instructions: "For instant creativity, just add water." Once upon a time graphic design was about discovering an idea. Today you can either find it in clip art, photoshop filters or...books like this one. A book with "over the counter" ideas is a sad testimony that our craft is losing its craft. That people are no longer in search of a new way, but simply recycling old ways. If we are going to pull techniques from a can then why call ourselves Graphic Designers? Why not call ourselves Desktop Publishers? In fact, why not hand this book to our client and tell them to hire their burger boy nephew who happens to have his own Mac or PC at home. The whole point of design is that we find NEW ideas and techniques that differentiate our clients (and ourselves) from others. So someone please tell me where that differentiation occurs when everyone finds themselves reaching for books of this nature, scrambling for an off the shelf cake mix as opposed to inventing their own recipe. If I made an "Idea Index book" it would have 1000 pages in it. All of them blank! And the book would come with a free pencil.
Rating:
Summary: A cure for designer's block
Review: I am a fifth year graphic designer and I do a lot of freelance work. This book has helped me to get "unstuck" in times of utter desparation for ideas. Just thumbing through it gives me tons of new avenues to explore. I think that any designer should add this book to their collection for those moments you are pulling your hair out to meet a deadline. I even bought a second copy and gave it to a designer friend of mine and he absolutely enjoys it.
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Summary: Water is a good thing...
Review: I disagree with a previous reviewer who wrote that this book is the equivalent of "ideas in a can." I find that to be more true of many of the other design books which showcase the work of the same 100 or so designers in multiple books by the same publisher. I don't have a problem with those books - if you use them to find cool elements which are an explorational springboard. And that's what I think this book does. We all have walls full of inspiring work, boxes loaded with stuff clipped from magazines, and printed collateral from various sources. This is no more than that. A place to perch and peer into the realm of "what if I try..." I don't think the author intends for anyone to go and say, I'll start w/p. 22, add some page 45, and tweak it up w/p. 140. It's just a way to get the brain to travel a little. It's also a good way to identify a general direction when narrowing your brainstormed ideas. I don't think we are supposed to stop with what's between the covers of this book. I think it's just an interesting place to start.
Rating:
Summary: Don't be fooled by the size of this Book
Review: I have to say that when I saw this book at the bookstore I was curious to see what could a tiny plastic cover book can offer. To my surprise: A LOT! To begin with: printing quality is the BEST (full black pages, silver pages, etc) plus the paper that is almost heavy weight paper, and the old look that plastic cover gave it... I can't think of a better way to go. Then, the book is divided into 2 sections: graphic ideas and text ideas. Both of them great inspirational material and also you can learn few nice tricks, so thats a plus. I strongly recomment you take a look at the others "Index" books by Jim Krause. They're a must for GD's. To sum up: this is a Great Tiny Book of Ideas.
Rating:
Summary: Don't be fooled by the size of this Book
Review: I have to say that when I saw this book at the bookstore I was curious to see what could a tiny plastic cover book can offer. To my surprise: A LOT! To begin with: printing quality is the BEST (full black pages, silver pages, etc) plus the paper that is almost heavy weight paper, and the old look that plastic cover gave it... I can't think of a better way to go. Then, the book is divided into 2 sections: graphic ideas and text ideas. Both of them great inspirational material and also you can learn few nice tricks, so thats a plus. I strongly recomment you take a look at the others "Index" books by Jim Krause. They're a must for GD's. To sum up: this is a Great Tiny Book of Ideas.
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