Rating: 
Summary: Mapping a Paradigm Shift
Review: When a truly important paradigm shift takes place it is not marked by a sharp edge, but an overlapping blurr of old forms and emerging insights. In spite of this, Horn has the guts to map the emerging phenomenon of 'visual language' with enfettered embrace. He uses his own clip art and Powerpoint like a typewriter, and authors in full text-graphic representation. For those unaccustomed to using graphics as lexical elements, like words, this can seem cluttered and confusing. For those of us who are pioneering this new world it is like seeing visual jazz. Visual Language is sweeping, encyclopedic, experimental, and intentionally radical, in that Horn wants the reader to appreciate that the tight integration of text and graphics is a truly new way of using language, and to see its root nature. There are, of course, precedents and early exemplars. His history of this phenomenon is especially useful, as is his survey of early applications. This is NOT a how to book. It is language philosophy presented in the very medium about which he is writing. Like many pioneering works, it is wonderfully playful and uneven, allowing the reader to see through the surface to the teeming creativity that is driving this new phenomenon. Kudos for Horn!!!
Rating: 
Summary: Food for thought but not an easy read
Review: When I first saw this book I was a bit surprised. My interest in the book came from a personal tendency to convey messages through graphical/drawing means. When I saw this book I expected a book full of descriptions of techniques that could be used to convey messages, etc. Big was my surprise when I opened the book and it was mainly "pictures". Don't get me wrong there is writing as well, but it is mainly used within the context of the graphics on the pages - a completely different ratio than usual. At first I struggled to read the book as it appeared somewhat unstructured, but as time commenced I started to realize that this was exactly what I expected. The only difference is the author does (sort of) what he preaches. The book is in my opinion a "fair" example of the use of visual language. What better way to learn something that from good examples? Ok, not all examples are equally good, but there are certainly enough good ones. I find that now, even after I systematically worked through the book, I continuously open it at random spots to ponder some of the ideas and concepts portrayed. If you buy this book DON'T EXPECT AN EASY READ - it takes careful study to get the value out of the book (from there the only 3 stars), but that value at the end of it worth the effort. Be prepared to be amazed at the richness of visual language. However, it does also get the message across that using "visual language" is far from arbitrary but requires a lot of work and many,many careful considerations.
Rating:
Summary: Food for thought but not an easy read
Review: When I first saw this book I was a bit surprised. My interest in the book came from a personal tendency to convey messages through graphical/drawing means. When I saw this book I expected a book full of descriptions of techniques that could be used to convey messages, etc. Big was my surprise when I opened the book and it was mainly "pictures". Don't get me wrong there is writing as well, but it is mainly used within the context of the graphics on the pages - a completely different ratio than usual. At first I struggled to read the book as it appeared somewhat unstructured, but as time commenced I started to realize that this was exactly what I expected. The only difference is the author does (sort of) what he preaches. The book is in my opinion a "fair" example of the use of visual language. What better way to learn something that from good examples? Ok, not all examples are equally good, but there are certainly enough good ones. I find that now, even after I systematically worked through the book, I continuously open it at random spots to ponder some of the ideas and concepts portrayed. If you buy this book DON'T EXPECT AN EASY READ - it takes careful study to get the value out of the book (from there the only 3 stars), but that value at the end of it worth the effort. Be prepared to be amazed at the richness of visual language. However, it does also get the message across that using "visual language" is far from arbitrary but requires a lot of work and many,many careful considerations.
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