The Language of Things : Design, Luxury, Fashion, Art: How We are Seduced by the Objects Around Us

We live in a world drowning in objects. But what do they tell us about ourselves? In "The Language of Things", Design Museum Director, Deyan Sudjic charts our relationship - both innocent and knowing - with all things designed. From the opulent excesses of the catwalk, or the technical brilliance of a laptop computer, to the subtle refinement of a desk lamp, he shows how we can be manipulated and seduced by our possessions. Brilliant and courageous, "The Language of Things" defines the visual vocabulary of our time and gives us a powerful new way of seeing the world. With up to 100 colour illustrations throughout, this book itself is both a provocative and beautiful thing.

Director of the Design Museum, Deyan Sudjic was born in London of Yugoslav parents. Former architecture critic for the Observer and a visiting professor at the Royal College of Art. In Milan, for many years he edited Domus, the international magazine of art, architecture and design. He was Director of the Venice Architecture Biennale in 2002 and is author of The Edifice Complex, the much-praised 100-Miles City, the best-selling Architecture Pack, and monographs on John Pawson, Ron Arad and Richard Rogers.