By Design: The Graphic Designer's Essential Handbook: A Gallery of Professional Design, Popular Techniques and Designers' Templates

Rating:
Summary: Disks don't work
Review: I happen to be an amateur, so I was looking forward to using the CDs that came with the book. Unfortunately, they don't work and the company no longer has a Web site. I'm disappointed they are still selling this book.

Rating:
Summary: Really good collection of info
Review: This book is a really good collection of color combinations, software tips, printer settings and layout ideas, all in one package. It's not in-depth, and some of the sample images are not fantastic, but it's still a handy reference guide for a lot of design issues.

Rating:
Summary: good...
Review: this is simply material you buy to fill up the gaps of your design/art library. there are some really useful tips and step by step instructions to given filters for photoshop, illustrator, freehand, etc. the 2 cd's that come with it are old, outdated, useless stuff and only relevant for amateurs. if you respect yourself as a designer you wont care taking a look at such junk. long live D.I.Y. dunno... i thought i'd be impressed but i wasnt. a bit above average book with some nice little tricks that's all.