If You Are a Lover of Stories, Pre-Order This Book

We here at JAR Audio are big on telling stories – which we have written about in previous posts:

And its why we insist on using storytelling techniques in each of our branded podcasts. Which is why I am so excited about this book release.

Roman Mars is set to launch his first book: The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design on October 6.

The book looks great for devoted fans of the 99% Invisible podcast (like me) and anyone curious about design processes, urban environments, and the unsung marvels of the world around them. But it’s also perfect for those of us (all of us?) who love great stories.

99% Invisible is a big-ideas podcast and website about small-seeming things, revealing stories baked into the buildings we inhabit, the streets we drive on, and sidewalks we traverse. The show celebrates design and architecture in all of its functional glory and accidental absurdity, with tales of exceptional designers but also everyday designs.

Now, in The 99% Invisible City: A Field Guide to the Hidden World of Everyday Design, show host Roman Mars and producer Kurt Kohlstedt zoom in on the key details about how our cities work, exploring the origins and other fascinating stories behind everything from power grids and fire escapes to drinking fountains and street signs.

Roman is one of the best storytellers of our time. In his words:

“I’m looking at the world through the lens of design using narrative. It was very purposeful that designers found the show first and enjoyed it and I do think it is a show about design ultimately.

But we take a pretty broad view of what design means to the world and we use that to sort of shape the way we tell all kinds of human narratives. I think that we learn a lot about ourselves through the things we make, and that’s kind of the point of the show.“

The book will show you new sides to all kinds of seemingly ordinary designs all around you which are revealed through well-told narrative storytelling.

As Mars and co-author Kurt Kohlstedt ask:

Have you ever wondered …

  • what those bright, squiggly graffiti marks on the sidewalk mean?

  • why you don’t see metal fire escapes on new buildings?

  • how car dealerships became home to those dancing inflatable figures?

    You can pre-order your copy today on AmazonBarnes & NobleBookshop or Indiebound.

    Roger Nairn is the Co-Founder and CEO of JAR Audio.

Looking to Solve Your Business Problems with a Podcast?

JAR Audio is a full-service agency that solves brand problems with Original Podcasts.