Five books that helped us improving our writing, presenting, and design skills. Maybe they’ll help you, too.

Summer is in full swing. Following up on our July reading list, here are five more books that we’ve enjoyed and found useful. Once again, we will cover the topics of Writing, Presenting and Design.

Resonate

image of Nancy Duarte beside her quote "You are not the hero who will save the audience; the audience is your hero"
Full Title

Resonate: Present Visual Stories that Transform Audiences

Author

Nancy Duarte

Category

Presenting

Nancy Duarte, CEO of a communications firm and a renowned speaker, delivers a straightforward guide to creating impactful presentations. A beautiful book (try to get the print version) that’s filled with practical tips on presentation and storytelling. A must-read if you want you’re serious about moving and persuading your audience. For more insights, check out her first book, slide:ology: The Art and Science of Creating Great Presentations.

Metaphors We Live By

Image of George Lakoff & Mark Johnson with the quote "Our ordinary conceptual system, in terms of Which we both think and act, is fundamentally metaphorical in nature"
Full Title

Metaphors We Live By

Author

George Lakoff & Mark Johnson

Category

Writing

This groundbreaking work from the 1980s will make you rethink how you communicate. Metaphors We Live By explores the role that metaphors play in shaping our thoughts, actions, and realities. It’s considered a classic in the fields of linguistics and cognitive science. If you’re short on time, focus on the first five chapters.

Bird by Bird

Image of Anne Lamott beside her quote "The very first thing I tell my new students on the first day of a workshop is that good writing is about telling the truth. We are a species that needs and wants to understand who we are"
Full Title

Bird by Bird: Some Instructions on Writing and Life

Author

Anne Lamott

Category

Writing

Anne Lamott is public speaker, political activist and writing coach. In Bird by Bird she shares her experiences and challenges in her writing journey. Instead of the usual tips and ready-to-use writing recipes, Bird by Bird is more about building your motivation and confidence to overcome dreaded writer’s block and self-doubt. An easy, entertaining read, brimming with inspiration.

The Humane Interface

Image of Jef Raskin next to his quote "The way that you accomplish tasks with a product-what you do and how it responds-that's the interface"
Full Title

The Humane Interface: New Directions for Designing Interactive Systems

Author

Jef Raskin

Category

Design

This is a classic for anyone into software and user interface design. Jef Raskin, a human-computer interface expert at Apple and the initial project leader of the Macintosh. In The Humane Interface he breaks down the limits of human behavior based on cognitive psychology and shows how this should influence interface design.

On Writing

Stephen King next to his quote "If you want to be a writer, you must do two things above all others: read a lot and write a lot. There's no way around these two things that I'm aware of, no shortcut"
Full Title

On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft

Author

Stephen King

Category

Writing

Mixing autobiography and practical advice, On Writing gives you insight into the life of one of the most prolific and popular writers of our time. You’ll learn about King’s routine and writing tips that helped him perfect his craft. Inspirational and instructive—highly recommended for both writers and non-writers.

Enjoy your summer to the fullest. Stay cool, and happy reading!