Things I have learned in my life so far

In our very visual society, word are getting less and less appealing, so Sagmeister, being a prominent graphic artist, is increasingly conjuring to put them in a wider contest. Installations and visual performances in types and images are rarely any political stances, but here a peculiar wisdom emerges. Being a European a very sophisticated imagery give way to a delicate and subtle world of thoughts well framed, equally well supported by a completely new typhographical format.

Sagmeister is amazing! I just saw him do a lecture on this book in Columbia. It brought so much life to the work hearing his personal experiences. This book is so fun and interactive it embodies the spirit of his work perfectly. It is a box with a die-cut out of his face on the cover. Inside are 10-15 smaller booklets each covering one of his many projects. As you switch the order of the books in the box it shows through the holes in the cover changing the design. It's really cool...I am so excited to add it to my collection.

This is no ordinary book, it is in and of itself a little piece of art! I bought this book in anticipation of an upcoming lecture from Stefan Sagmeister. Reading through the first time, I loved the sincerity of each part of the book. It's such a heartfelt, personal journey through this massive project. Reading through a second, third, fourth and so on, I get details I missed the first time around. After having heard Stefan speak for the first time, the book was brought to life like never before. I will treasure this publication, as it rightfully earns a spot on my bookshelf of design greats. I cannot wait to see what Stefan has in store for us in the future!

Many publishers produce hundreds of thousands of boring books in the hope that they will be able to keep paying dividends to their investors and salaries to themselves. One could be forgiven for thinking that their professional teams of editors, art directors, and sales executives review potential titles and remove challenging material, unexpected, imaginative, or risky concepts, and especially self-indulgent works created for the pure pleasure of their own existence (instead of for the express purpose of making money). In this tragic environment, it's a small miracle that a book like Sagmeister's Things I Learned... emerges unexpurgated and fresh - with the potential for sales to millions who simply love his passion. My friend the photojournalist Philip Jones Griffiths who died last month, created the book Vietnam Inc. He made no profit from it in the beginning, but It helped end the Vietnam war. Philip's passion was for peace. Stefan's is for something else - beauty? truth? I think everyone should buy this book - if only to prove to publishers and media moguls everywhere that we want more truth, more beauty, more passion in our lives - and we're willing to vote with our wallets: "All together now..."

Robert Appleton, AGI

What a great surprise to find several books encased together - each filled with a visual representations of one of Stefan's lessons in life. Each lesson is uniquely made, from billboards, to snails, to sugar, his quotes are composed typographically in the most unexpected ways. The book covers for each lesson make an interesting look for his face when interchanged with the die cut cover. If you are a fan, you will look at these books over and over and wonder how he thought of some of these. Some will make you laugh and some might gross you out, but each are completely interesting.