The 2019 Summer Reading List

Cool Infographics: Charts and graphs can communicate data; infographics turn data into information.

This year I’ve decided that I have a Summer Reading List, and I invite you to join me. I have a library of over 100 books on data visualization, infographics and visual communication but I don’t always take the time to carefully read and understand them. I often have books that are sent to me or I’ve purchased, and they pile up. I start off with the good intentions of reading them, but the pile continues to get bigger.

I fully appreciate how much work goes into writing these books. I wrote the Cool Infographics book, and I was the Technical Editor for Building Responsive Data Visualization for the Web, by Bill Hinderman. Developing valuable content, crafting clearly understandable explanations, finding or designing good examples, editing for clarity and accuracy, designing a functional, useable book layout and finally all of the printing, publishing, marketing and compatible web content.

I know there are some incredible insights in these books. Things these authors needed to get out of their system and clearly explain within the pages. I want to learn from them!

I’ve chosen one book per month for June – September, and for each book I want to accomplish the following things:

• A book GIVEAWAY of the selected book the first week of each month

• At the end of the month, I will post my thoughts and I would like to hear your thoughts and questions from the book in the comments

• I will try to get an interview with each author, and ask them some questions submitted from you. (I know Hans Rosling has passed away, but I may be able to get in touch with one of his children that are continuing to run his organization.)

How to Inspire the World with Data

How do we create new ways of looking at the world? Join award-winning data storyteller RJ Andrews as he pushes beyond the usual how-to, and takes you on an adventure into the rich art of informing. Creating Info We Trust is a craft that puts the world into forms that are strong and true. 

July: Data At Work by Jorge Camões

Best practices for creating effective charts and information graphics in Microsoft Excel

Information visualization is a language. Like any language, it can be used for multiple purposes. A poem, a novel, and an essay all share the same language, but each one has its own set of rules. The same is true with information visualization: a product manager, statistician, and graphic designer each approach visualization from different perspectives.

August: Factfulness by Hans Rosilng

Ten Reasons We’re Wrong About the World–and Why Things Are Better Than You Think

When asked simple questions about global trends―what percentage of the world’s population live in poverty; why the world’s population is increasing; how many girls finish school―we systematically get the answers wrong. So wrong that a chimpanzee choosing answers at random will consistently outguess teachers, journalists, Nobel laureates, and investment bankers.

Our problem is that we don’t know what we don’t know, and even our guesses are informed by unconscious and predictable biases.

September: Good Charts by Scott Berinato

The HBR Guide to Making Smarter, More Persuasive Data Visualizations

A good visualization can communicate the nature and potential impact of information and ideas more powerfully than any other form of communication. In Good Charts, dataviz maven Scott Berinato provides an essential guide to how visualization works and how to use this new language to impress and persuade.

This is short notice for June, but I am giving away a copy of Info We Trust on June 10th! You can enter for a chance to win a free copy of the book here: coolinfographics.com/giveaway

Enter by Midnight on June 9th, and I will draw a random winner on Monday, June 10th! ENTER the June 10th Giveaway for “Info we trust”