Books by Ettore Sottsass

“Meanwhile, I very, very slowly intoxicated myself on that special pleasure that comes from printing books, from setting a little bit of your own life or somebody else’s life down on printed paper, circulating a little bit of your life, stimulating life, stimulating thoughts, emotions, hate, disdain, happiness, knowledge, and perhaps even finding your own real place on the planet. If the book does not sell, several cubic meters of printed paper are left in the storeroom: it does not matter that much. The book has been completed, a small amount or lots of life has been set down on printed paper and the hope remains that the paper is good. Meanwhile, life has been lived.” — Ettore Sottsass

This book features the magazines and books which Ettore Sottsass wrote, illustrated or edited over a period of 60 years from 1947-2006. Works on printed paper for which Sottsass set up texts, illustrations and/or graphic inventions.

His multi-faceted publishing works are grouped together in eight separate sections - the magazine “Room East 128. Chronicle”, books published for the “East 128” edition, “Pianeta Fresco”, inserts in architecture and design magazines, illustrated books and theoretical writings, catalogues for the “Memphis” Group, the magazine “Terrazzo” and augural publications for Studio Sottsass Associati - and are accompanied by contributions by Barbara Radice, Andrea Branzi, Michele De Lucchi, Nathalie Du Pasquier, Elio Fiorucci, Christoph Radl, Franco Raggi and Lea Vergine.

This volume was selected by the ADI Permanent Design Observatory as an example of the best Italian design put into production.