Creatives, if you’re looking for some fresh sources of inspiration, this one’s for you. We’ve rounded up a shortlist of new and upcoming releases that we think would be exciting additions to your bookshelf. Some will give you literary and visual relief from the rollercoaster that 2020 has been. Most will light a fire under your seat, handing you the dose of optimism and urgency you’ll need to forge ahead. All will offer you tools to become better humans and designers — just what the doctor ordered. Keep reading for all the details, and feel free to add your own recommendations in the comments!

BRUCE MAU: MC24

by Bruce Mau

About the author: Canadian designer Bruce Mau is a world-leading visionary and co-founder of Massive Change Network, a cross-disciplinary project committed to exploring ways in which designers can ‘do good’.

About the book: Developed over the past three decades, this expansive, thought-provoking book explores 24 “global, generous, and galvanizing principles to overhaul the way we think and to inspire massive change.” It features essays, observations, and work by Mau and other game-changing architects, designers, artists, scientists, environmentalists, and thinkers of our time.

Why we picked it: Mau’s first book in over a decade, MC24 is a rousing call to action which promises to be both practical and playful. If you’re a designer looking for an antidote to boredom and cynicism, this is it.

Learn more: uk.phaidon.com/store/design/bruce-mau-mc24-9781838660505/