{"product_id":"9781942303152","title":"Top This and Other Parables of Design: Selected Writings by Phil Patton","description":"In September 2015 the world lost Phil Patton--prolific design writer, teacher and tantalizing wordsmith. Patton's insatiable curiosity, sense of humor and keen eye made for the most compelling reads. Whether it was chronicling design minutia, quirky anecdotes or bizarre tales, Phil's hundreds of books, columns, articles and posts always delivered a new account. As his editor at \u003ci\u003ei-D\u003c\/i\u003e magazine, Chee Pearlman said, \"His insight takes the reader beyond the object to an understanding of its broadest sociological context.\" No topic eluded him, and for a large part of his 40-year career he championed automobiles, technology and product design. Roger Black, designer, writer and longtime colleague and friend of Patton's wrote, \"He taught \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e--by example--to cover design. The domino effect, the rest of the media followed.\"\u003cbr\u003eWith an introduction by Edward Tufte and foreword by Caroline Baumann, this volume compiles 40 selections representing the wild range of interests and fascinations that occupied his thoughts. Punctuated by images of ideas and lists from notebooks he carried everywhere, \u003ci\u003eTop This and Other Parables of Design\u003c\/i\u003e is an intimate and portable companion for those who choose to always have a witty, informed friend around.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePhil Patton\u003c\/b\u003e (1952–2015) was a design journalist, curator and author. He wrote regularly about automobile design for \u003ci\u003eThe New York Times\u003c\/i\u003e. His books include \u003ci\u003eOpen Road: A Celebration of The American Highway\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eMade in USA: The Secret Histories of the Things that Made America\u003c\/i\u003e; \u003ci\u003eBug\u003c\/i\u003e, a cultural history of the Volkswagen Beetle; and \u003ci\u003eDreamland\u003c\/i\u003e, about the culture of experimental aircraft. He served as a curator for museum exhibitions, including \u003ci\u003eCars, Culture and the City\u003c\/i\u003e at the Museum of the City of New York (2010), \u003ci\u003eCurves of Steel: Streamlined Automobile Design\u003c\/i\u003e at the Phoenix Art Museum (2007), and \u003ci\u003eDifferent Roads: Automobiles for the Next Century\u003c\/i\u003e at The Museum of Modern Art in New York (1999). Patton taught in the Design Criticism Program at the School of Visual Arts and was a contributing editor to \u003ci\u003eEsquire\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003ei-D\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eDepartures\u003c\/i\u003e magazines. He was also a regular contributor to \u003ci\u003eCBS News\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eToday\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eCBS Sunday Morning\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Charlie Rose Show\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eFresh Air\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eAll Things Considered\u003c\/i\u003e and \u003ci\u003eTalk of the Nation\u003c\/i\u003e.","brand":"Cooper Hewitt","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":47044344283376,"sku":"9781942303152","price":17.95,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0737\/7593\/9824\/files\/9781942303152_p0.jpg?v=1763758751","url":"https:\/\/shop-qa.barnesandnoble.com\/products\/9781942303152","provider":"Barnes \u0026 Noble (DEV)","version":"1.0","type":"link"}