One of the seminal texts of graphic design, Paul Rand's Thoughts on Design is now back in print for the first time since the 1970s. Writing at the height of his career, Rand articulated in his slender volume the pioneering vision that all design should seamlessly integrate form and function. This facsimile edition preserves Rand's original 1947 essay with the adjustments he made to its text and imagery for a revised printing in 1970, and adds only an informative and inspiring new foreword by design luminary Michael Bierut. As relevant today as it was when first published, this classic treatise is an indispensable addition to the library of every designer.

Josef Muller-Brockman's impassioned and sudden appearance on the stage of constructive graphic design in the early 50s, at the age of almost 40, gives pause. What biographical developments proceded this energetic statement? What context created the conditions for an abrupt change from a subjective and illustrative view of design to one that was objective and constructive? The answer takes us back to the 30s, to the formative days when MB, the designer, and Swiss Graphic Design were still separate paths.

Through harmony and rhythm, resonance and pitch, Ann Rand inspires readers to listen to the tuneful play of her text as it sings off each page. Illustrated with graphic designer Paul Rand's colorful, witty artwork, "Sparkle and Spin" is a children's classic (now happily available again through Chronicle Books) that reveals to young readers the power and music in the words they use every day. ""Paul Rand did not set out to create classic children's books, he simply wanted to make pictures that were playful. Like the alchemist of old, he transformed unlikely abstract forms into icons that inspired children and adultsand laid the foundation for two books that have indeed become children's classics.""
Steven Heller, author of "Paul Rand"