The book of circles cover

The book of circles

by Manuel Lima

"Across all regions, cultures, and societies, humans have attributed to the circle ideals of unity, wholeness, infinity, enlightenment, and perfection. We have applied this natural shape to countless manmade systems through the ages, from tools, icons, and writing systems to maps, urban plans, and digital technologies. In The Book of Circles, his companion volume to the popular Book of Trees, Manuel Lima takes us on a lively tour through millenia of information design. Three hundred detailed and colorful illustrations cover an encyclopedic array of subjects, drawing fascinating parallels across time and culture. The clay tokens used by ancient Sumerians as a system of recording trade are juxtaposed with the logos of modern retailers like Target; Venn diagrams are discussed side by side with symbols of the Christian trinity, the trefoil shape of the biohazard symbol, and the Olympic rings; a diagram revealing the characteristics of 10,000 porn stars displays structural similarities to early celestial charts placing the earth at the center of the universe. Lima's introduction provides an authoritative description of the circle's symbolism and uses through history, and a preface describes his unique taxomony of the many varieties of circle diagrams, rounding out this visual feast for infographics enthusiasts"--

More by Manuel Lima

Chappie’s discussion starters

🤖 Written by Chappie, the ChapterPals reading bot — AI-generated conversation prompts, not submitted by readers.

  1. Which character stayed with you after you turned the last page, and why?
  2. Was there a moment where you disagreed with a character’s choice? What would you have done?
  3. What theme did this book keep circling back to — and did it earn its ending?
  4. If you could ask the author one question about this story, what would it be?
  5. Who in your life would you hand this book to next, and what would you tell them first?