As we've said before, we LOVE An Event Apart. And I guess we're not the only interactive design and development groupies out there who do, judging by how quickly their events sell out!

Like they say in the commercial: We're not just [a spokesperson], we're also a client! (In other words, we Vitamin T-ers partner with An Event Apart by sponsoring events AND we flock to An Event Apart sessions to learn about emerging design and development trends.)

The lineup of speakers is phenomenal. Without fail, the brightest people who make websites are always on hand to share their insights based on personal experience—and many of them have written books on key aspects of design and development. Here's a sampling of two recently published and two timeless ones from the founders that were so great they have 3 editions (and they just keep getting better!):

• Hardboiled Web Design by Andy Clarke outlines how the latest technologies and techniques can make your websites and applications more creative, flexible, and adaptable.
• Tapworthy: Designing great iPhone apps by Josh Clark takes you from concept to polished interface design with plain-spoken principles and a rich collection of visual examples for designing exceptional interfaces for the iPhone and iPod Touch.
• CSS: The Definitive Guide, Third Edition by Eric Meyer provides a comprehensive guide to CSS implementation, along with a thorough review of all aspects of CSS 2.1.
• Designing with Web Standards, Third Edition by L. Jeffrey Zeldman and Ethan Marcotte covers improvements and challenges in the changing environment of standards-based design.

And Now, A Book Apart
From a few folks in the talented An Event Apart community comes A Book Apart, a fantastic new publishing model that puts cleverly written, fresh web design and development content into your hands so you can get the info you need and get back to work. Founders Jeffrey Zeldman, Mandy Brown, and Jason Santa Maria say their new biz creates brief books for people who make websites. Zeldman says about HTML5 for Web Designers that you can get on a plane in New York, and get off in Chicago with what you need to know about HTML5 to do your job tomorrow.

Funny is a key criteria for book selection, but the editorial process is no joke. Writers must be gifted storytellers at the leading edge of design and development work. The topics ”like HTML5, CSS3, and content strategy” require more space than an article but not as much space as a traditional book, so they're easy reads at around 100 pages. Titles include:

• Responsive Web Design by Ethan Marcotte teaches designers how to think beyond the desktop and craft beautiful designs that anticipate and respond to your users' needs.
• CSS3 for Web Designers by Dan Cederholm explores the creative possibilities of CSS3, highlighting what works, how it works, and how to work around browsers where it doesn't work.
• HTML5 for Web Designers by Jeremy Keith (foreword by Jeffrey Zeldman) is an entertaining user's guide that gets to the heart of what web designers need to know about HTML5, with clear, practical examples.
• The Elements of Content Strategy by Erin Kissane explores content strategy's roots, and demonstrates not only how it's done, but how you can do it well. It's a compelling read for experienced web content strategists and those making the transition from other fields.

Whew. We're exhausted just reading this post. If you want to know more, check out the An Event Apart website and click through the speakers for any event. We bet you'll be as wow'd as we are. Hope to see you at the next event in DC in October!

What are the best interactive design and development books you've read lately? We'd love to hear from you!