This isn’t for everyone but it is a lot of fun. Gen Xers should read this and Chuck Kloserman’s the 90s and have a good time. Thank you for the chance to read it.

Analogue: A Field Guide is an amazing journey through the history of analogue devices in sound, vision, communication and information. I spent all of my time while reading it zooming in to see the details of old machines and marvelling at how things have changed, and—also—how much they’ve stayed the same: new tech builds on old tech, as tracing the (visual) history of machines makes clear.

This book is also a complete delight for anyone who is interested in engineering and design, which I most assuredly am. The history of machines is also, of course, the history of industrial design, with cross-fertilisation between different disciplines: architects designing phones, car designers designing cameras, and so on.

I’m not the typical reader, perhaps—this was for me like a kid in a candy shop, as they say, and I was nerding out quite severely—but anyone will enjoy poring over the images in this book. Would be a great coffee table book or addition to any library.

Thank you to NetGalley and to Quarto/Frances Lincoln Publishing for early access.

I'm grateful to the publisher and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this captivating book. From the first page to the last, I was thoroughly engrossed in the story, unable to put it down. The characters were well-developed, the plot was gripping, and the writing was superb. Overall, I immensely enjoyed this book and highly recommend it to fellow readers. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this wonderful reading experience.

Analogue is a fantastic book to have on your coffee table. It's a beautifully laid-out piece of work curated with great examples of industrial and product designs. As a designer myself, I appreciate the commentary regarding the design decisions and history of the products. This would make a great gift for anyone interested in industrial or product design.

A beautifully laid out deep dive into the world of analogue. Stretching from the late 19th century, to its decline in the late 20th century as digital began to take over, it explores the key items and players of its time.

Being a mid-90s baby, I grew up just as the final switches were being made - I had a cassette player, and my parents had those classic Nokia ‘brick’ phones, but digital quickly took over most things as I grew older. It was so interesting to take a glimpse into what came before, and paved the way for the technology that we have today.

I love how the design choices are highlighted - each item is photographed so well, with a little paragraph explaining who made it, when, for which company, and how well it did on the general market, alongside general overviews at the start of each section, and pages highlighting certain designers.

Covering everything from sound devices, television sets, cameras, telephones, and watches, it truly is a brilliant book on all things analogue.

Thank you to the publishers, and Netgalley, for the copy to review.

I grew up at the end of the analogue age, though digital took a little longer to become the dominant form in my area. Digital is great in many ways, but there is something to be said for analogue. It has a character that cannot be replicated in the same way in digital format. Looking through this book brought back memories from growing up. There was actually just a handful of products that I recognized since I lived in a rural area and missed out on a lot of what was in the book. However, I was able to find several that I not only knew about, but used personally.

This book can serve as reminder to those of us who experienced analogue technology, or to introduce it to others who grew up after digital took over. There are plenty of pictures and details to let you know what the items are and when they were made.

I received a free ARC of the book from the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I was sitting with a friend over coffee a few months ago and he was describing a book he desperately wanted and it wasn't exactly like this, but close enough that I need to go find out how to do a preorder. As someone who has lived through so many changes in technology, it was fascinating to go through what was essentially a catalog of those changes. The material is explanatory and the photos of all the products are clear and excellent.
Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read this

Analogue is a fascinating journey through pre-digital technologies in the realms of sound, visual, communication, and information technology. I was hooked immediately in the introduction, which explored how the first smartphone brought about a “mass extinction” event for a multitude of analogue products, but also explored the appeal that these earlier products have to even newer generations because of their tangible, aesthetic, and emotional elements. I learned so much in even the first few pages.

The entire book is organized beautifully and is really visually appealing. Each section (Sound, Visual, Communication, Information) presents a timeline of technological and design developments for a variety of products, with detailed information about designers, innovations and broader impacts on culture and artforms. I appreciated the product directories in each section, as well. My personal favorite products to explore included the TVs and phones.

Overall, I had so much fun reading this. It’s chalked full of interesting facts and discussions, and I walked away with a lot more appreciation and knowledge about a lot of products I have taken for granted. I could see music or media enthusiasts, collectors, hobbyists, and really pretty much anyone enjoying this. Definitely recommend - I’m entirely charmed by it, and I will be picking up a hardcover copy when it is released.

*I received a free eARC of this title through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley!*

As a fan of industrial design and old gizmos, I thought *Analogue* might be my cup of tea. It was my nectar of the Gods. Over the not enough pages, Deyan Sudjic (and the team – Peter Dawson/Ronja Ronning on design duties, Gemma Wilson – art director, Susannah Jayes – picture research, and everyone else involved) present the most fabulous, weird, popular, failed designs from the analogue era. Sony’s Walkman is there – but did you know there was a Sony Watchman TV? I was delighted to discover the existence of not just Olivetti Electrosumma but ALSO Olivetti Multisumma AND Olivetti Divisumma!!! (Can you guess what each of them does?) *Analogue* is a museum that curates the experience perfectly. There are so many things I have never seen, and things that I have learned. And they are all beautiful.

Between the chapters, various designers and brands get showcased. From the incredible Dieter Rams’ beige elegance to Ettore Sottsass’ wild colours, the book covers it *all*. Sudjic’s write-ups are fascinating and just right for me, cool with a slight hint of humour. But it’s the imagery that makes this book an absolute gem. I first thought – those must be AI renders. There is no way there are such incredible photos of devices that are over a hundred years old! The index of photographers/sources takes two fill pages of very, very small print. I don’t know who restored those photos – I used to be one of Europe’s best graphic designers in my previous life – but I bow to thee, Mage. This quality is simply impossible. From what I can tell, everything is just the right colour, and that matters, and all of it looks brand new.

Since I mentioned graphic design, early on the book made me incredibly happy by mentioning both Peter Saville’s *Power, Corruption and Lies* (New Order) and Mark Farrow’s *Very* (Pet Shop Boys) as examples of unique record artwork. The book’s design would be (although isn’t) Mark Farrow at his best, the nonobstructive, timeless Helvetica typeface with perfect alignment – yes, this matters – never overtaking the breathtaking photography. Except for *Designed by Apple in California*, I have never seen a book this…gorgeous. Yes, I ran out of superlatives. There is simply no flaw to *Analogue*, though. Way beyond my wildest dreams, this book feels as if somebody has created it specifically for me.

I recommend it to fans and students of industrial design. All of you. I have received a free e-book from NetGalley, but I have already preordered the hardcover (out in March 2024), because I need to salivate over it without pinching a screen.

To everyone involved, I thank you – I can’t think of the last time when a book made me this happy. What an exquisite collection, art direction, design, writing, *work*. In my reviews, I always try to point out something I didn’t like, so I don’t sound like a gush dispenser. There’s nothing in this book that I’d judge as less than perfect.

(Note: this is going on Goodreads the moment it's added there)