I found a digital copy of Williard C. Brinton’s 1939 book “Graphic Presentation” via twitter and as I read through the book, it amazed me how little our data visualization techniques have evolved since Brinton wrote the book 70+ years ago. What was even more fascinating was this quote from the preface to the book by Henry D. Hubbard who worked for the U.S, National Bureau of Standards …
“There is a magic in graphs. The profile of a curve reveals in a flash a whole situation —the life history of an epidemic, a panic, or an era of prosperity. The curve informs the mind, awakens the imagination, convinces.”
– Henry D. Hubbard
These words so aptly describe the power of visualizing data.
Here are some interesting snapshots from the book, which I highly recommend checking out …
