A Book for Our Times

How do we design, create, and live in an era defined by global crises? Imagine—Embracing Chaos and Possibility in a Planetary Emergency, published by Slanted Publishers, doesn’t try to provide quick fixes or prescriptive answers. Instead, it opens a space for reflection, conversation, and imagination, acknowledging that complexity is part of our reality and that new ways of seeing are needed.

At 160 pages, this interdisciplinary volume is part companion, part provocation. It brings together voices from science, psychology, art, education, and spirituality to consider how we might build more meaningful relationships with ourselves, society, and the planet.

Founded in 2014 by Lars Harmsen and Julia Kahl, Slanted Publishers is a globally recognized design and publishing house known for its award-winning books and its twice-yearly Slanted magazine. Their work blends content and form with exceptional attention to typography, layout, and visual language, making each publication a lasting resource for creatives around the world.

Contributions Across Disciplines

The book’s strength lies in its diversity of contributors. Systems theorist Nora Bateson, educator Vanessa Machado de Oliveira, environmental activist Rudi Putra, and Buddhist practitioner Brother Phap Linh are among those who bring nuance, urgency, and humanity to the conversation. Their insights remind us that planetary challenges are not only ecological, they’re cultural, psychological, and spiritual.

A Design That Holds Space

Published by Slanted Publishers, the book is as much a tactile experience as it is an intellectual one. Designed by Viola Dessin and Lars Harmsen, it balances clarity with craft and at 12 × 19 cm, the format feels both intimate and substantial, like an object meant to be carried, opened, and revisited often.

• Hardcover with hot-foil embossing
   
• Thread-stitch binding with headband
   
• Full-color offset printing on changing papers
   

Why It Matters for Designers

For designers and creatives, Imagine is not only a book to read but also one to sit with. Its layered approach mirrors our own processes of iteration, reflection, and adaptation. It challenges us to think about how design, and creative work more broadly, can function in times of uncertainty, where clarity is elusive but possibility is always present.

Details

• Release: September 2025
   
• Format: 12 × 19 cm, 160 pages
   
• Language: English
   
• Price: €28
   
• Buy: Slanted Publishers