Customer Rating: 
Summary: words and graphs to go from 2 to higher dimensions
Comment: This is the second book in Ed Tufte's trilogy on graphical displays. It is a sequel to "The Visual Display of Quantitative Information". In this book Tufte shows how color, multiple pictures from different perspectives, graphs, charts and even newspaper text can be used to convey on a flat piece of paper information for high-dimesional data. Most important is the ability of two-dimensional pictures to display the information of the three dimensional world that the human mind can comprehend through sight. This is the reason for the title to the first chapter "Escaping Flatland".However, as interesting as the pictures are themselves it is necessary to read the text and look back and forth between pictures to fully appreciate the points of the text. As with his earlier work, Tufte demonstrates the principles of good graphics through effective demonstartaion of ideas conveyed by good and bad examples. The difference is a broader coverage of techniques and greater emphasis on the good examples. This book is a nice lead in for the third book, "Visual Explanations", which deals with examples where Tufte believes the graphical displays actually lead to good inferences about a problem under study.
Customer Rating: 
Summary: Read it again. Then again - you'll catch on.
Comment: I'm a big fan of Tufte's work and so was, at first, sort of disappointed the first time through this book. But each time I reread it I find found more and more I can use. The text runs from subversive to straightforward, but it's the wonderful illustrations you'll love!
I find places to apply Tufte's few basic guidelines every single time I transmit information. The worst I can say is this book is super instead of stupendous. I'm happy I own it, and I'm never, ever gonna give it away.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Not Impressed
Comment: If you're a graphic designer looking for practical content on how to better present your infographics - look elsewhere. The book was filled with beautiful, but useless information. If you're after information theory, the book hits the mark - but for almost $50, it's hardly worth it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Exquisite
Comment: Tufte is a genius, and this, the first of his series (of three), is an exquisite testimony to visual design. Wonderful for brainstorming or just feasting the eyes. No designer should be without these books.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Simply THE bible for every designer in the information age!!
Comment: I wrote the following review here on Amazon back on June 4, 1997. I still stand by this review!Ed Tufte has created an essential resource for every software designer and developer that imparts the religion of good design, while avoiding the typical lists of "do's" and "don'ts" that are so pervasive in design texts. Tufte offers incredible examples of his design concepts and the publication itself is a tangible example of extraordinary design.
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