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Rating: 
Summary: Makes Me Want to Read More
Review: A very nice book indeed, but the whole book goes much more into history in the pieces itself than into the design process of a particular work. Good if you want to read and learn a lot about how design was used in advertisements/cultural movements through the years (the majority of the work displayed are really old/historic), but not very useful besides that.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent As Introduction
Review: Design Literacy and Design Literacy (continued) is an excellent introduction to graphic design under the surface. I use Phil Meggs' history book for facts and these books for inspiration.
Rating:
Summary: This book is a must-read for any serious student of design.
Review: I attend a school with a lackluster offering in the area of graphic design history. This book closed many gaps in my seeming self-education. Every chapter was well thought out, well designed and an thoroughly enjoyable read. Kudos to the authors.
Rating: 
Summary: interesting but slanted.
Review: I like this book a lot but found it to be full of very subjective opinions. It's not that I disagree with the opinions, for the most part i don't, but I'd prefer if it was more of a critique than a platform for the authors views on the world. I found that they would tend to defend one body of work (Brody) while slamming another (the Joe Camel complain) without fully explaining why. But then I guess that would be the point of writing a book in the first place, to voice you opinions.And while I feel that one or two pages just is not enough space to dedicate to many of the designs discussed in this book, I was very surprised and grateful to see many of them at all. When was the last time you read about the history of the swastika? Let alone one that dared to go deeper that the obvious nazi reference. [lookup Manwoman the artist for more unbiased info on it's history.] I would have loved to read more on each of these topics though.
Rating:
Summary: I'm no super idiot, but...
Review: I use this book as a catch me up for everyone one of my students who are interested in graphic design, but don't know anything about it. This book and the sequel "Design Literacy Continued" are easy to read, wide in scope and plow through touchy subjects like Racist Websites and the garbage all over contemporary magazines. It's the best education I ever got sitting in the bathroom.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite a history book
Review: This book isn't quite a history book, nor is it a book on design theory. While it has aspects of both, it's more like a series of case studies, in which almost 100 designers, magazines, posters, advertisements, icons, types... are analyzed and discussed and placed in a historical context. So if you're expecting a comprehensive book on design history, this is not for you. In no way does it feel complete for a design education. What it does is provide thoughtful pieces to consider, and a perspective on the usage of design, originality, trends, etc. The authors do have a point of view, but it doesn't ruin the book. To the contrary, it makes it even more interesting. Design isn't just art and technique It's grounded in economics, history, culture, and politics. Heller and Pomeroy contribute a useful set of essays to help the reader become more aware of these relations.
Rating:
Summary: Not quite a history book
Review: This book isn't quite a history book, nor is it a book on design theory. While it has aspects of both, it's more like a series of case studies, in which almost 100 designers, magazines, posters, advertisements, icons, types... are analyzed and discussed and placed in a historical context. So if you're expecting a comprehensive book on design history, this is not for you. In no way does it feel complete for a design education. What it does is provide thoughtful pieces to consider, and a perspective on the usage of design, originality, trends, etc. The authors do have a point of view, but it doesn't ruin the book. To the contrary, it makes it even more interesting. Design isn't just art and technique It's grounded in economics, history, culture, and politics. Heller and Pomeroy contribute a useful set of essays to help the reader become more aware of these relations.
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