Description
From the creators of the wildly popular99% Invisiblepodcast, comes a guidebook to the unnoticed yet essential elements of our cities. Narrated by Roman Mars, with a bonus Q&A and a Full Episode of 99% Invisible.
Have you ever wondered what those bright, squiggly graffiti marks on the sidewalk mean?
Or stopped to consider why you don’t see metal fire escapes on new buildings?
Or pondered the story behind those dancing inflatable figures in car dealerships?
99% Invisible is a big-ideas podcast about small-seeming things, revealing stories baked into the buildings we inhabit, the streets we drive, and the sidewalks we traverse. The show celebrates design and architecture in all of its functional glory and accidental absurdity, with intriguing tales of both designers and the people impacted by their designs.
Now, in The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to Hidden World of Everyday Design, host Roman Mars and coauthor Kurt Kohlstedt zoom in on the various elements that make our cities work, exploring the origins and other fascinating stories behind everything from power grids and fire escapes to drinking fountains and street signs. With deeply researched entries, The 99% Invisible Citywill captivate devoted fans of the show and anyone curious about design, urban environments, and the unsung marvels of the world around them.
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batchout –
I discovered 99% Invisible’s podcast in 2012 and they have been telling interesting design stories in new exciting ways. (I immediately digested their whole backcatalog) The 99% Invisible City is a wonderful revisiting and update of many topics, not a cut-and-paste of transcripts, and it shows. Handsomely crafted with distinctive illustrations and typography, it is meticulously organized into six distinct sections with a very in-depth Table of Contents and Index. There are many things that this book will help you see clearly no matter which city you live in. A cornucopia for the curious! BUY THIS BOOK for your whole family and go exploring!
JMC –
Roman Mars and Kurt Kohlstedt have produced a fascinating book (content) which is a pleasure even to just look at and hold (form). I highly recommend this book. Not just for design nerds!
erk –
I haven’t finished this book yet. I’ve barely even started it. But for those who would say I have no ground to write about a book I haven’t read, I say :bbbbbbbbb I spent year doing it in post-secondary/graduate school. You could almost say this is a *professional* book review.
1)Bite-size, 1-2 page articles mean the readings in this book are accessible to more people than they would otherwise. I can’t speak for those with ADHD or those who grew up on the internet, but for those with affective disorders that disturb their concentration this book IS accessable, albeit one segment of a section at a time. I am currently up to “Lines of Sight”
2)The illustrations are fun. They might be frustrating at times when you can’t find the relevant pictures in them, but I don’t think this is a book I’m going to read only once. I’ll find everything at some point.
3)Basic layout of the book is *smart*. I just realized it has not only a very well organized TOC, and fairly comprehensive index, but also an interesting-looking bibliography.
4)While it’s not leather-bound or anything, it has a full-color print wrap on the hard cover which is just another element of the 99% Invisible Class & Style.
5) People (Kurt and Roman?) have been saying it’s NOT a 99% Invisible episode in book form, but I think maybe it could be argued that it is a superlong book-format episode on the theme of CITIES.
6) If nothing else, it translates the *spirit* of 99% Invisible (bringing all design and architecture that shape our world into our POV) (in a flawless execution) perfectly.
*Was considering complaining about the partial bookcover here but since I always remove them to shove in the back or at best use as bookmarks, and this one is the ideal size to use as a bookmark I literally have NOTHING to complain about.
@Timothy_Hughes –
“The 99% Invisible City” book is a spin off from the 99%invisible podcast, there is also a website and merchandise site. As time moves on, things change in a city, from the original roots of the city through to different fashions, which could be changes in road signs and markings, the way buildings are built, the squared design on Police uniforms. All of these things have a history, that impacts onto today.
The book is written in an easy to read, light hearted way and it walks you through inconspicuous, conspicuous, infrastructure, architecture, geography and urbanism. The signs to look for and the history behind those features. At 351 pages it’s a pretty long book, but great fun and will hopefully enable you to see your walks around cities differently.
Alexandra Pechon –
Bien
Kindle Customer –
I think I’m more in love with the podcast than the book. Although the book is fascinating and covers some truly ‘blind spots’ or ‘silent design’ features I was left feeling a little miffed by the size of it.
Wanting to head out for a 99% invisible design Safari into the city… with this beast in my backpack feels slightly disconnected rather than having it as a pocket book for example. Good for in the house but not as a field guidebook.
All in all love the style though.
Buck –
If ever there was a manual to demystify the myriad intricacies of our urban landscapes and everyday surroundings, “The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design” by Roman Mars would unquestionably hold the title. Delving deep into the seemingly mundane and often overlooked facets of city life, Mars offers a transformative perspective that elevates the ordinary to the realm of extraordinary.
Building upon the ethos of the much-beloved “99% Invisible” podcast, this book is a masterclass in curiosity, meticulously exploring the unnoticed design elements that underpin our daily lives. From the story behind the shapes of our manhole covers to the psychology of traffic lights and the urban layout, Mars ignites a newfound appreciation for the often taken-for-granted marvels of engineering and design that populate our cities.
The genius of “The 99% Invisible City” lies not just in its in-depth research or captivating narratives, but in Mars’s uncanny ability to intertwine history, design, and human behavior into a cohesive tapestry. Each page is a revelation, highlighting how design isn’t just about aesthetics but also about solving problems, guiding behaviors, and shaping societies.
The book’s layout deserves special mention. Infused with illustrative graphics and engaging side notes, it ensures that readers are constantly engaged and invites them to dive deeper into each topic. While the book is comprehensive in its scope, its segmented approach makes it a breeze to either consume cover-to-cover or pick up for bite-sized doses of knowledge.
For anyone who has ever walked through a city and wondered about the ‘why’ behind its design or simply for those curious about the stories behind everyday objects and layouts, this book is a treasure trove. It’s not just a field guide; it’s a love letter to the cities we live in and the designers whose unseen hand has crafted our daily experiences.
In “The 99% Invisible City,” Roman Mars beckons us to see our world with fresh eyes, inviting wonder and awe at every corner. It’s an enlightening journey, a testament to the notion that if one looks closely enough, there’s a world of wonder lurking in the most unexpected places. This book is a must-read for urban explorers, design aficionados, and anyone keen to rediscover the magic of the mundane.
MDC –
Love the podcast…& love the book
liz phil –
I got this book due to the fact that it seemed everyone was talking about it at a bookstore that I was at and when I saw this at an amazing deal from Amazon I had to buy it. What an incredible book. I learned so much about walking through a city and not noticing things that the book writes about. The book is straight to the point and very easy to understand. I would recommend this book to anyone that likes to learn or just find it fascinating what to look for while walking through a city. This book is awesome!
TLH Review –
Excellent read with interesting vignettes for those that enjoy trivia. From Roman Mars, the creator of the podcast 99% Invisible.