Pentagram is one of the best design firms on planet earth, so this book is a must have for a creative professional. BUT the book lacks real inspiration - it's very dry stuff. While the volume has many pretty pictures with "case studies" the book doesn't really tell you a story. The work itself is very good, but you can see that in an awards annual like Graphis. You just get the feeling that they didn't have any fun putting this book together. I judge my design books on how often I run to them for inspiration - and this volume doesn't rate too high. I have an ancient book by the founders of Pentagram (Fletcher, Forbes & Gill) which blows these kids out of the water. So this book is a must have for the reference library, but you may want to wait until it's on sale.

Pentagram...what more do you need to know? It gives amazing insight into the thoughts behind their work in 50 examples. The forward contains a short but very complete description of the history of this powerhouse company of design. A must have book for anyone who studies or loves "good design" of any kind.

Although the book is somewhat long (as another reviewer commented) it is certainly worth reading, and delivers some great insights into the ad business for young writers and designers.

"Where the Suckers Moon" starts out with a very interesting premise, whether you are a fan of the advertising world or not. Rothenberg seeks to sort of "pilot-fish" his way along while a million-dollar car company chooses an advertising agency for its upcoming million-dollar campaign. The ups-and-downs of the search are sometimes funny and generally interesting. But the hard-bottom line which Rothenberg shows clearly is that advertising can be a cruel and unfair business. The only bias he seems to have is a mild contempt for the advertising industry. If you swallow the majority of facts that he offers repeatedly, it would be hard not to share his contempt. I did not share his contempt and was annoyed by to employ what is considered to be a necessity in the advertising world: The ability to be concise. Rothenberg offers many bits-and-pieces about the selection process which just are not needed, which he follows up by omitting large parts of the overall selection process. Yet, I found it an interesting book to read. Though I would not consider it an easy, smooth read.

This is a detailed, on-the-ground tactical exploration of the Subaru ad campaigns of the mid-90s. Watch the idealist dreamer's of the agency's creative team collide with the cold, hard world of auto retailing.

To me, an entertaining business book is something that teaches you about a particular profession, industry, comapny or leader, and develops the story through a plot, inherent tension in the conflicts in the business, and a "what would you do in their shoes?" sensibility. Where the Suckers Moon has both, and is one of my top 15 business books as a result.

"The Nerd from the Back of the Class"'s criticisms of Rothenberg's excellent, meticulously researched "client's eye-view" book seem to be focused on three areas: Subaru isn't "sexy" enough, the book is four years old, and that Rothenberg's cool refuses to crack in order to glamorize the ad game or its participants. In fact, one can infer from "Nerd At the Back of the Class"'s review that Rothenberg's writerly sang-froid is a deterrent from a reader's enjoyment or even basic understanding of the book.

A question: What word in the English language didn't you understand, Nerd? This is as fine a primer on the processes and pressures relating to advertising as I have ever read. And I'm not a Joe Blow--and I doubt that "Nerd At the Back Of The Class" is either-- but, in fact, have made my living as an advertising copywriter for five years now. Rothenberg's cool detachment, his knowledge of his subject (ostensibly modern advertising agencies but, in fact, the history of advertising agencies themselves, and, in fact, Subaru and its parent company in Japan) his patience, his eye for detail, his recording of the filming of the Subaru commercials and the organized chaos that is The Creative Process, his willingness to hang around legendary hothead Joe Pytka for crying out loud--these things make the book what it is: a treatise that modern consumer culture and in fact modern corporate America are neither godlike, infallible or perfect. Rothenberg is Toto, pulling away the curtain to reveal the Wizard for who he is--a little fat guy with a lot of smoke and mirrors at his disposal, a man who loves power and flattery. (Think of the original owners of Subaru and their covered motorcycles, or the divisonal Subaru car salesman or Wieden & Kennedy for heaven's sake.)

And by the way, if anyone doubts Rothenberg's street creds please see his weekly column in Advertising Age, one of the industry's leading publications.

If "Where the Suckers Moon" strikes anyone as being recondite, then perhaps you need to eschew this book for something a little less thorough. Perhaps an ad for Apple with its sexy lines and pretty colors...pretty colors good...and sleight of hand. Me, I prefer to know that I'm not being suckered. And that Rothenberg isn't suckered either.

And as for the complaint that this book is four years old and out of touch...As someone in the book says, advertising is all about people and relationships and they don't change. This book is as much about the people as it is about their business.

If you're looking for sexy, they have plenty of Web sites for that sort of thing...sorry. Rothenberg can't help the fact that Subaru, try as they might, ain't sexy nor will they ever be. And frankly I'm glad he doesn't see the manufacturing nor selling of a car as sexy or feel that he ought to dress it up for the bored people at the back of the class. But, however, the auto industry is quite important to the U.S. economy, and so is the ad business. However, if you're looking for history, knowledge and detail--things that seem to be lacking in most advertising agencies--then this book has it in abundance.