HN user
I would suggest honing in on programming and logic skills, software engineering is a vast space of opportunity. Unfortunately Architecture is one of the worst industries in terms of opportunity. It is over saturated with talent. Many of these brilliant minds work endless hrs for free.
grasshopper3d.com is full of jobless young designers with the same skill set in parametric design...
Having a cracked version of Illustrator has nothing to do with producing good design. Similarly, just because you can code doesn't mean you can write good software. Good design is a lot like clear thinking made visual, we live in a visual world and a design/logo often becomes the face of companies.
The problem with gap is they went away from who they are and they're trying to sell an untrue story. Using a minimalist font like American Apparel as an attempt to be "hip" is clearly bullshit to everyone. But again it has nothing to do with the tool, rather its about the concept and thought behind the graphic and that is where Gap has slipped.
My brother in law works at apple, he says that the in_ear headsets are terrible plus twice the cost...
Yes that may be a problem but the question was what books would you add. I would love to hear any suggestions you may have.