The book

The Functional Art is an introduction to Information Graphics and Visualization, the communication of facts and data by means of charts, graphs, maps, and diagrams. It includes a DVD including 90 minutes of video lectures.

Download three chapters for free here

Table of contents:

Part 1 - FOUNDATIONS
• Chapter 1 - Why Visualize? Information to Wisdom
• Chapter 2 - Forms and Functions: Visualization as a Technology
• Chapter 3 - The Beauty Paradox: Art and Communication
• Chapter 4 - Exposition, Exploration, and the Complexity Challenge

Part 2 - COGNITION
• Chapter 5 - The Eye and the Visual Brain
• Chapter 6 - Visualizing for the Mind
• Chapter 7 - Images in the Head

Part 3 - PRACTICE
• Chapter 8 - Creating Information Graphics
• Chapter 9 - Interactive Graphics and Visualizations

Part 4 - PROFILES

• John Grimwade (Condé Nast Traveler): The Infographics Gentleman (personal site)
• Juan Velasco and Fernando Baptista (National Geographic Magazine): Information Art
• Steve Duenes and Xaquín González (The New York Times): All the Graphics That Are Fit to Print
• Hannah Fairfield (The Washington Post): Capital Infographics
• Jan Schwochow (Golden Section Graphics): Germanic Precision
• Geoff McGhee (Stanford University , Journalism in the Age of Data): Visualization and Academia
• Hans Rosling (Gapminder): Quantitative Humanism
• Moritz Stefaner (Well-Formed Data): Truth and Beauty Operator
• Jan Willem Tulp (Tulp Interactive) and Gregor Aisch (Driven By Data): The Rising Stars
• Stefanie Posavec (It's Been Real): Visualizing Literature