Emigre - 68: American Mutt Barks in the Yard

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One of our goals in publishing a design magazine is to distinguish Emigre from the crowd by exploring the unconventional and pushing the boundaries of design publishing. Recently, we observed that many design publications had become overly focused on "eye candy." In response, we aimed to challenge creativity and delve into design writing. While design blogs have emerged as a popular medium, their rapid-fire, casual nature often favors brevity over depth. This trend prompted us to embrace our contrarian spirit and create something truly unique—something that could engage designers in a way that blogs cannot. The solution came in the form of "American Mutt Barks in the Yard" by David Barringer, the longest "Dear Emigre" letter we've ever received. Barringer describes his work as "ambitious and reckless and impassioned," and at 34,940 words, it occupies the entire 128-page issue of Emigre #68. What began as a response to earlier issues evolved into a profound critique of design and advertising that only traditional publishing can accommodate. While we recognize the irony of publishing a conventional book, we believe Barringer's essay boldly ventures into uncharted territory. He stated, "I offer it for publication in Emigre," and we wholeheartedly agree—it belongs here.