Design is a unique way of understanding the world around us.This book is an essential tool kit for decoding contemporary culture. It's about what makes a Warhol a genuine fake, the beauty of the jumbo jet, the notion of authenticity, Hitchcock's film sets, the success of Ikea, the creation of national identity, the mania to collect and the value of imperfection. It's about how we see the modern world.

'A master class in musing on modern design . . . asubject nobody writes better about than Sudjic.' David Sexton,EveningStandard

'Written with a natural fluidity, with authority.'DesignWeek

'Combining Sudjic's obsessive attention to obscure detail with a pop culture-honed eye for influence and connection,Bis ahandbook of why things are the way they are.' Jonathan Bell,Wallpaper*

'Brilliant, wide-ranging and engrossing.' Philippa Stockley,Evening Standard