Judged By Its Cover, Then Opened Up: Top Ten Design Books (PHOTOS)

Design plays more of a role in our lives than any of us likely realize. Whether its a distracting billboard, a well designed pair of shoes, or a gorgeous book, design plays into what we buy, how long we look at something, and how effective things are. Book design, as the old adage surely proves, is especially significant. No matter how hard we try, its hard not to judge a book by its cover. When you like what you see, it feels like a bonus if the pages of the book match up to what the cover promises.

Even if you only buy books so they look perfect on your coffee table, they're part of your life. Just in case someone ever cracks those books open, you'll want to make sure the insides are just as interesting as the outside. Check out our slideshow of ten particularly cool books on design.