Customer Reviews
Something for everyone - By: Andrew, 26 Jul 2010 
David McCandless is the "son" of E. Tufte! This book has 2 dimensions. Firstly, it is a very good text book of how to depict datain an interesting & informative manner. This is an excellent example of the ergonomics of data representation. A lot of academics could learn from this. Secondly, it depicts some very interesting data. McCandles has an focusin Environmental issues & wider ranging philosophical issues. For example, the plot of world religions vs "stuff people do". The only down side is that some of the sources are bit limp (e.g. "Google") & some of his terms are a little less precise than they should (e.g. Taste buds - misallocation of foods to groups), but this should not eclipse the brilliance of the book.
Great flicker througher - By: Richard Griffiths, 24 Jul 2010 Whilst I can't vouch for the data content accuracy, I didn't buy it because it was a definitive authority.
Instead I flicked through itin the shop, found it interesting-no matter which random page I turned to.
I've just read it this afternoon, ok, looked at the pictures contemplatively :). It is a book for creating conversation if you are having an evening drink with friends. Graphically, extremely well put together & engaging.
In the process, introduced me to a variety of visual info representations I didn't know existed. How accurate is the data? Without going & doing my own painstaking research I couldn't tell you.
Note, there's a great double page on Left/Right politics that any teacher wishing to discuss this with students might want to get their hands on. Very nicely done.
Subjects range from the light (dance genres anyone?), oddball (viral campaigns since the 90's) to the serious (alliances map, global warming, CO2, health).
Side trip: For other people looking at this, Edward Tufte-both credited & referenced here is well worth looking at. He rails against Powerpoint cognitionin one book, & I believe him to be correct.
Striking designs, interesting info - By: David M. Land, 12 Jul 2010 I'min the USA, but I ordered the UK version because it is the original, & because the title is so much better than "The Visual Miscellaneum". This is a lovely book to look at, with statistics to boggle the mind & move the heart. It's a great thing to pick up now & again, flip to a random page & be simultaneously awed by its creativity & wowed by the information. It deserves a place alongside Tufte's seminal "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information" (a prosaic title to place alongside "The Visual Miscellaneum") on any information designer's bookshelf.
Interesting but overly complex - By: F. R. Lewis, 24 Jun 2010 
This is beautifully presented, &in many way fascinating - but it the word layout can be a little too complicated & sometimes it is difficult to understand the flow of the information or the point that is being made. Still, if you're interestedin explaining the world through figures & diagrams, & liked Freakonomics, this would be a great addition!
beautiful book - By: C. Caneva Akle, 15 Jun 2010 
the book presents informationin a very easy way to understand, colourful graphs. A very good graphic design although there are minor facts that would need more research.
The best book to share with friends as it is not boaring at all.
Congrats...
