For the third edition of this highly readable history of graphic design, Stephen Eskilson has, with the aid of over 450 new and existing images, updated and restructured key parts of the book. Most notably, he has expanded the introductory chapter to begin with the origins of writing and added a new chapter 11 that investigates current conceptual and material trends in digital design.

Organised chronologically, the book brilliantly traces the impact of politics, economics, war, nationalism, colonialism, gender and artistic movements on graphic designers working in many different ways and media from prints, books, magazines,