Uncover the Hidden World of Everyday Design: A Field Guide to the 99% Invisible City

MDC: Love the podcast…& love the book

Australia on Aug 30, 2023

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,...

United States on Aug 18, 2023

James R Patterson: The book is very easy to read and contains a lot of interesting factoids about the history and development of numerous elements of infrastructure. I enjoyed it.

United States on Aug 13, 2023

Janice A.: Christmas gift

Canada on Dec 02, 2022

Steve Mansfield: As a long time listener of the 99PI podcast I looked forward to reading this book and the text does not disappoint: fascinating detail that make you look at the built environment around you in a new way.

Only 2 stars because the Kindle experience is appalling - grey text on a grey background, washing out both the text and illustrations. How a book about invisible design could have such an awful visual design is Alanis Morissette levels of ironic. 5/5 for the text, 0/5 for the ebook presentation.

United Kingdom on Sep 29, 2022

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.

Netherlands on Aug 13, 2022

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%...

United States on Nov 13, 2020

Daniel P. Smith: It is quite wonderful and everyone should buy it. That said, it has two serious flaws. On consideration I didn't think they were worth deducting a full star.

FIrst, it's illustrated only by what some reviewers call "beautiful line drawings" by Patrick Vale. The drawings are functional in several ways. They are much more legible on my classic black-and-white e-Ink technology KIndle. And because they are drawings, they can illustrate things very clearly in a small space. In some cases, the drawings seem "clever" and "clear." In other cases, I regret to say, they just seem "crude."

Consider the beautifully painted manhole covers of Osaka Japan. They are works of art. They are in color, they are delicate, and they are immensely varied. What kind of nut thinks you can convey this adequately in a single black-and-white sketch of one of them? No words, however eloquent, can make up for it. I don't know what constraints led to this decision, but it sucks. I need to read this book with a tablet next to me, and make web searches as I read each page in order to see adequate images of the things the book is describing. In this case, a decent minimum would six to twelve...

United States on Oct 23, 2020

Denis P.: If you're a fan of the podcast 99% Invisible, this review is not for you. But let me tell you that you should definitely read this book nonetheless!

For those who are unfamiliar with the podcast, you are in for a treat! The 99% Invisible City explores in easily-digestible shortish texts various facts about urban design, and probably things you didn't know were... Things!

The book is separated in short articles, with accompanying stunning illustrations. Even the sleeve works into the design of the book, acting like a guide to the various components that make up the covert art.

This book will make you take a second look to things in your own city. You'll try to spot things, or try to understand why things were made a certain way; what was the process that lead to a particular piece of equipment, or shape, to become the way it is!

I heartily recommend The 99% Invisible City!

Canada on Oct 15, 2020