Two books, that most of you may or should have come across, How to be a graphic designer without losing your soul (Adrian Shaughnessy) and Thinking with type (Ellen Lupton), landed on my desk recently, thanks to Princeton Architectural Press, except that these were the new expanded and updated versions of the books.
I had the original H.T.B.A.G.D.W.L.Y.S, and although I have only dipped in and out of the new version, I can say that the new interviews do make for interesting reading, the main content is incredibly grounded, and the book still has me looking up every now and then, with that frowned, deep in concentration look on my face. In short, good digestible stuff.
'Think with type' is simply a really good typographic reference, and although not exhaustive in any particular area, regardless of how experienced you are, this is something to be kept close by at all times.
The originals could certainly be listed as 'essential reading', however changing attitudes towards creative work as well as the ever changing landscape of technology, mean that these expanded versions are indeed very much worth having too.
