DESIGN> magazine, Africa’s leading multidisciplinary design magazine, published an article with Anneloes van Gaalen, as well as a great review.
"DESIGN> asked van Gaalen why this book is intended to be more than mere fun. Her response: 'The aim was not to list all the rules that a designer needs to adhere to. Nor did I take sides in the whole rules debate. Design is in many ways a universal language. Of course a designer or even consumer brings his or her own cultural baggage to the table, but there are rules and adages that can and will transcend all that. I firmly believe that you need to know your classics.' She ironically quotes an old saying: 'You need to know the rules before you can you can break them.'
Curated Mag summarizes the book's content and intentions quite accurately in its review: 'You’ve probably heard these design adages on several occasions (0r many more). You may even know the history behind them. Even if you do, Anneloes van Gaalen might teach you something. Or, just make you laugh.'
With this book, van Gaalen also challenges a few other rules that are not included in the text such as 'book titles should be short and catchy,' 'books that are intended to inform and educate cannot be written in a style that is cheeky and flavored with irony,' and ultimately, 'Guard against stereotyping! No serious writer on design should call his or her company Paperdoll if they are intelligent, talented, blond and vivacious.' Considering the latter statement, van Gaalen walks the talk and slaughters a few other myths known to the design profession."
