Continuing with the ‘Beautiful’ series, O’Reilly has released their newest one, Beautiful Visualization.
This book examines the methods of two dozen visualization experts who approach their projects from a variety of perspectives — as artists, designers, commentators, scientists, analysts, statisticians, and more. Together they demonstrate how visualization can help us make sense of the world.
Like others in the series (e.g. Beautiful Data, Beautiful Code), Beautiful Visualization is a compilation of essays from twelve people and groups who work in the field, and it’s a very mixed bag. Regular FD readers will recognize many of the names: Fernanda Viegas, Martin Wattenberg, Aaron Koblin, Robert Kosara, Nick Bilton, and Jer Thorp, among others.
How to win a copy
You know the drill. Leave a comment below to enter your name into the raffle. Answer the following question: if you were an animal what would it be and why? I’d be a tortoise. Slow and steady wins the race.
Comment by Wednesday, June 23, 11:00pm EST, and then come back here to find out who won. I’ll be selecting five winners at random.
If you’re in the contiguous United States, you’ll get the choice of the physical book or electronic version, which includes PDF, epub, APK, and mobi. Others will get the electronic version.
Good luck!
P.S. If you’re impatient, here’s the Amazon link. All proceeds of the book go to charity.
Winners
Congratulations to the winners below!
- wookster – “I’d be a marlin, because they’re sexy and can swim fast.”
- Galen – “I’d be a jackal consuming food others consider inedible.”
- Fabrizio – “I’d be a coral polyp, acting in wonderful communion with the crowd during my life, transformed in something beautiful and lively after my death.”
- Tom – “Platypus – the why should be obvious.”
- Matt – “Not creative but true; dogs are the only animal that don’t have to work for a living, and are in constant happiness.”
I’d be a seal, bathing in the sun and occasionally going out to have some sea food
Hmm, a chinchilla – cute, furry and sleeps all day? yep.
I used to have a chichilla. Suzy was her name. Cuteness was her game.
Comment just for the sake of winning :-)
Eagle, who doesn’t want to fly?
I would be a duck – because I could swim in some random lacks and seas.. As well as flying away in various countries… :-D
I’d be a dolphin… surfing all day!
I’m split between a cat and a swallow – both seem to have more fun than humans but for different reasons…
I would be a Leopard
I would be a frog…why ? I’m french ;)
I’d be a bunny : furry and funny !
Giant Panda. People build you slides just to watch you slide down. How cool is that?
I’d be a snail: at home everywhere and able to change sex at will…
I would be a lynx: untamed by web experience, good eyes for small but harmful weaknesses, and good reflex for finding a user-centered solution
If I had to choose any animal to be I’d be a sloth. My sedentary lifestyle would then be justified. Love the blog.
Cat. Clever, playful, elegant, loved & feared.
A penguin, because waterproof tuxedos are not just classy, they’re practical too.
A whale, they seem to have quite an evolved system of communication and are mammals
I’d really love to have that book! :-)
I ‘d be an eel : travelling from cold rivers to tropical sea.
A hippo… but don’t know why. I just like the animal ever since I was a kid.
I’d be a meerkat, they always hang around in groups and live the Hakuna Matata life!
I’d be a goldfish, but can’t remember why, had it a few seconds ago?
an ant – contributing to building a the anthill without understanding my own role in the creation
un hibou parce que je veille jour après nuit…
I’d be an elephant, because they are chilled out and smart!
An owl because I watch day after night
I’d be a Seagull, like Jonathan Livingston :)
I would be a cat – sleeping and eating all day.
“This is bad because I can’t change. I’m like a chameleon, always a lizard.” (Tracy Morgan as Tracy Jordan)
So I’d be a chameleon :)
What a simple question…! An Aardvark. What else? Would you miss the opportunity to be the only living species of the order Tubulidentata?
i’d be a squirrel, always upright, except while sleeping :)
An elephant, gentle and loyal when treated well, crazy and destructive when not.
i’d be a giraffe, since it’s “so far”, so good
I really like visulaization. Let me have a try.
I would be a “Guillemot”, so that I can have a half a year vacation traveling around the world!
I’d be a coral polyp, acting in wonderful communion with the crowd during my life, transformed in something beautiful and lively after my death.
Cat, cute, curious and smart.
Hmmmmm, a macaque, the closest thing to an old world monkey, socially intricate and hierarchical.
I would be a cat as I like to combine two tings to form a single one and a linux user :-)
hmm, a west highland terrier. They’re smart, feisty and cute too.
I’d be a Mimic Octopus – which creatively uses colors, shapes and other visual techniques to trick prey and predators. What better use of visualization than to get food, and not be eaten. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimic_Octopus)
I’d be a human. They can cook, drive and have relationships with multiple partners without having puppies.
Winning comment?
Living in Vietnam, I would like to live again as a buffaloe : work several weeks only by year, spend hours in the water, travelling with a young boy on shoulder to tell how is the world, and at the end… participate to a wedding party (on the table…)
I’d be a cat – curious and self-sufficient.
An otter – otters have all the fun…
I’d be a Kestrell: great vision and the agility to make the most of any small furry opportunities I see.
I’d be a polar bear. Because they are far and distant
Buffalo.
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
I’d like to be an inmmortal jellyfish! (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turritopsis_nutricula). Not because of being immortal but because being capable of “reverting to a polyp stage after becoming sexually mature”.
Being back to your childhood after enjoying your adulthood! and so on till the end of the eternity! (or till a predator eats you). It sounds like a lot of fun :-)
I’d be a Pika, small, furry and cute!
I’d be a platypus. Because they’re fun and nobody understand why they are the way they are.
I’d be a humpback whale! It roams the oceans, loves to sing and seems like it couldn’t care less!
I’d be a hawk. I’d love to fly up there: must be an amazing view.
Flying squirrel: hyperactive, can climb trees like nobody’s business, and a natural-born base-jumper. Who could ask for more?
I’d definitely be a Bald Eagle. Beautiful, Majestic soaring high in the sky watching over the lands!
I’d be a Jerboa. They have enormous ears, giant springy legs and not many people have heard of them … no, hang on.
Buffalo.
Buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo buffalo buffalo Buffalo buffalo.
predictably, the first time i typed this it got caught in the spam filter. I guess Akismet doesn’t do sentence structure.
Bear – Loads of sleeping and eating honey, sounds good to me.
I’d be a Weta, because one look at me, and you’d be certain aliens roamed the earth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weta
A massive giraffe – so I could look over things and eat leaves.
a cuckoo: create an idea and let others do the job.
moose
massive nose, funny running
Albatross…. flying weeks and months at a time over the ocean without ever touching solid ground
I would be a cat. Quick, insatiable curiosity, 9-lives(!), girls love them(!!), sleep 18 hours a day, get funny poses of me put onto calendars world-wide!
I’d be a canadian goose. Part of a team who migrates when the weather gets too cold ;)
A squirrel. They always look like they’re having so much fun.
I’d be an owl, sitting up all night waiting to swoop down on a tasty snack.
I would be a cat, always sleeping during the daytime and can jump to the roof without using the ladder.
I’d be a polar bear; solitary with no natural predators, but constantly roaming the arctic and working to stay alive.
I’d be a Parakeet ‘coz I love to sing and talk and fly and look pretty.
I’d be a rabbit; cute, fuzzy and nomming on healthy stuff.
I’d be a Weka because it would be totally awesome to have a data mining tool named after me.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weka
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Weka_(machine_learning)
I’d be a cat. No responsibility other than alerting my owners that it’s time to eat, spending all day snoozing on comfy cushions. Yeah, that’d be the life!
I would be a Black Bear because I could be dormant through the long Minnesota winter and lose weight at the same time.
I’m already an animal… I’m a dog, indeed! :D
I’d be a
i wish i were a fishy in the sea //
i wish i were a fishy in the sea //
i’d swim around all nudey //
without a bathing suity //
i wish i were a fishy in the sea
I’d be a bookworm, insatiably consuming all I could about data visualization :)
Check our beautiful viz at http://www.qantara-med.org/
Labrador – boundless energy and always happy to see you.
A cat. I love cats, plus I think it would be interesting to be a creature that is a hunter by night, seeker of sunbeams for warm sleeping by day.
I’d be a greyhound. Put a rabbit in front of them and they move like the wind. Give them a chance to chill and they will happily sit at your feet all day.
A giraffe, they can kick in any direction, and they’re tall.
i’b a white persian lazy fat cat…eating sleeping all day and maybe staring is some youtube videos..sometimes!
Definitely a Cheeta. Very fast (insert productive) for short bursts.
I would be a nimble squirrel, jumping from branch to branch. You’d be jealous of my bushy tail.
I would be an owl
wise, looking down to all what happens, big view…and then…when I see something interesting I dive in.
A warthog. Fast, focused, and fiercely protective of family. Oh, and a big eater :-D
I would be cheetah… lounging around for 23.5 hours per day but when one wants to go, 75 mph!
I’d be a pterodactyl. Why not in the end?
I’d be a dog because all I’d have to do is wait and, eventually, I’d get my day.
I’d be a fish. I can never get enough ‘schooling’.
Red squirrel. (I’m a bit of a hoarder when it comes to data…)
I’d be a dog since they are treated the best of all animal species by man. A guaranteed best friend!
I’d be a manta ray, calmly gliding with elegance accross a sea of information
Sea Otter — those suckers are clever.
Platypus – the why should be obvious.
I’d be a caribou. They live in Alaska in the midst of beautiful scenery.
Damn, Tom exactly took the reply out of my mouth.
I would indeed be a platypus … because I can !
I’d be a coyote, because then I could be justifiably crepuscular.
I would be a Lucid Lynx! :-p
I’d be an ant. Work hard together for the all sociaty happyness.
I’m an animal, aren’t we all?
I’d be an otter because they’re so fricking sweet
I’d be a grizzly bear cause I love to be wild in the wild.
I’d be a fifty foot light blue flamingo because there is no reason not to.
I’d be an otter, because the animal just seems to enjoy life.
I’d be an eagle !! love flying!
I’d be an elephant, because they have such warm family structures.
I love these! I would be one of the red-tail hawks I can see out the window right now. Probably the one in the pine tree. Thanks, Nathan.
An Ai. I’m about as fast.
I love FlowingData and can’t wait to get my sticker. If I win, I’m ordering another and putting it on this book.
I’d be a panther. Elegant, quiet and dangerous.
Hawk – to be able to see the world with some serious perspective
lap dog to a hollywood starlet or CM.
Moose – Lanky & wonderful.
A monkey because I love my opposable thumbs
A bison, roaming the Great Plains. Because, well, I’d get to roam the Great Plains (I guess I need to go back a couple hundred years for that part, as long as we’re fantasizing).
A polar bear. Who WOULDN’T want to be a polar bear?
A dolphin, playful and strong.
I’d be a snake. Seeing with taste.
I’d be a cuttlefish because they are brilliant.
I’d be a bear, because a bear is always referenced as being in a china shop, and we know the outcome of that.
I’d be a dog, probably a big goofy lab or something. Life would be simpler, and I’d almost always be happy.
Great White – I think I’d like to be at the top of the food chain, you know?
I’d be a marlin, because they’re sexy and can swim fast.
Energize!
There’s no animal I’d rather be than a human. Big brains, dexterous hands and fingers, intricate social networks (I’m not talking about online social networks!).
I’d be a koala, nobody suspects the koala.
I`d be a ant, who works tirelessly.
I’d be a horse, because they’re fast and elegant.
A hummingbird. For the killer metabolism.
Grizzly bear.
Salmon, nom nom nom.
T-Rex. Because everytime someone would make fun of my little arms I could bite their head off.
I’m a panda, hard working, dependable, with a big heart.
I’d be a Duck, so I could hang out on a lake all day.
Rooster – always have something to crow about.
Red Panda, just because I love them
i’d go sloth for the same reason as a tortoise, but with the ability to climb!
I’d be a dog, so I could have my belly scratched
A puppy – for all the love, attention and cuddling anyone could ask for.
Sloth. Yea I said it. I would be a Sloth. (Bradypus variegatus)
Bonobo ape because they are super smart and are all hippy with their free love society.
I’d be a shark riding on an elephant, just trampling and eating everything I see.
I’d be a squid, ten arms are better than nine.
Dolphin. Seriously, they swim around, surf, enjoy themselves (one of very few species to engage in …relations for pleasure), and are generally having way more fun than you. And they’re incredibly intelligent and they have a diet that is high in omega-3s!
I would NOT visit Japan, though (see: The Cove).
I’d be a rabbit. I like to keep busy.
lion. they have big teeth.
I’d be a sperm whale to be able to do some mile+ dives.
I’d be a penguin, without a care in the world down in the Antarctic. And as a guy I don’t have to go out and get food; mama penguin does that for me =)
Liger – Majesty of a lion combined with the sublimeness of a tiger….and it’s napoleon dynamite’s favorite animal.
I’d be something recently extinct. Something freakish. Quagga, perhaps?
I’d be a cat, so I can sleep all day and look at my subjects with disdain.
I was content with the moose, because that seems like a pleasant life. But now I’m thinking I should have a murderous fish on my back …
I’d be a panda. They are just okay.
I would be a human. with all their problems this kind of animals tend to change the world, sometimes even for good ;-)
I’d be Ferdinand the Bull, because then I could sit just quietly under a tree for a change :D
I’d be a shark; viciously gentle and enigmatic.
Tiger. Ferocious if I need to be, but most of the time just lazy.
Being a bear on a unicycle right now wandering the lovely Mother Russia, I would love to be a giant mantis eating immortal jellyfish, people and other cool animals. That’s because I want to be a buzzkill.
I’d be an Elephant, so I could remember all of the cool things I come across.
No doubt it would be interesting to be a zebra… plus think of the data visualizations that I produce using my own skin!
I’d be a koala as I don’t let go people easily, apart from the fact that I’m cute – woohoo!
I’d have to be a Peregrine Falcon. I could fly and be the fastest animal on the planet going over 200mph. That would be incredible.
Dolphin is my first answer, but after giving it some thought I think I’ll have to go with ‘human’.
…What?
If I were a different animal I would be a spider, spinning a graphic that captures beauty, mathematics, and lunch.
I’d be a civet, ‘roasting’ my own luxe coffee beans.
I’ll be Turritopsis nutricula or immortal jellyfish because when I’m about to die, I can use transdifferentiation to turn all my existing cells into a younger state again and again and live forever!
The scientists would definitely consider making them into anti-aging lotion huh :p
A cat – well fed and left alone to do whatever I wanted all day long
I’d be an owl. Wise and knowing.
Crow — smart, playful and (alas) easily bored.
Dragonfly – Beautiful and wicked-fast…
I’d be a bee..
..cooperative, altruistic, and helps flourish life!
I would be an elephant and my day job would be being used for quantitative comparisons of items that are either heavy or big.
Oh, I like the immortal jellyfish idea. trippy.
How about a narwhal… underwater fencing anyone?
Oh, I like the immortal jellyfish idea. trippy.
How about a narwhal… underwater fencing anyone?
A gecko, being able to adhere to most surfaces.
A kitty cat, lounging in the sun, without a worry nor a dissertation to write. :p
I’d be a pug. Fawn would be fine, but I think I’d prefer black if I had a choice.
I would be a platypus….a real curiosity
My college speech and debate team does this totem exercise as a team bonding thing. My teammates determined I’m a turtle, and I agree.
Since then (20 years ago), I’ve refined it to be a sea turtle. Has all of the qualities of a tortoise (hard shell, loner, slow and steady, etc) but more vulnerable to outside threats.
A Swiss cow… pampered and graze in the most beautiful summer pastures.
House Cat – Eat, Sleep, Play, Repeat.
I’d be a dolphin. I could see myself spending my life at sea.
Puma: You don’t see one unless it wants to be seen. If it does not like being seen, it will simply kill you for the offense…
I would be a dog, still living a cushy life with humans.
I would be the Great Texas Yeti so I could enjoy browsing through this book by the light of the setting sun over the Llano Estacado.
I’d be the monster at the end of the comment, because RAARRRR!
I would be a dragonfly, really good vision and awesome flight abilities.
I’ll be an eagle, you get great mileage on those things.
I would be a dog. I am friendly, loyal and smell funny!
I’d be an eagle with sharp vision eagerly stretching my claws towards the Beautiful Visualization book : )
Ouhh I love the immortal jellyfish idea too ^^
A Shetland Pony, ’cause who doesn’t want a pony?
I’d be a ChickenHawk because everyone feels justified to take a shot at me.
Let me be a wolverine. One of the smarter animals in the forest for a change.
I’d be a tardigrade (water bear) because they can survive extreme heat, extreme cold, just about anything.
I think I would like to be a pigeon, because they look sort of uninteresting at first, but you can find out all sorts of neat things about them the more you pay attention, and I enjoy not being quite what people expect me to be at first sight. (Did ever notice that pigeons have l green and purple shiny feathers on their necks? Also they sometimes become attached to specific human beings; and they have been used to carry messages!) Also, they are animals that have adapted to belong in cities, which I think are great places to live. Not to mention that flying would just be incredibly exciting.
I’d be a peregrine and fly very very fast before capturing my dinner.
I’d be an eagle because flying looks like a lot of fun.
A dolphin. If you don’t already know why, read more Douglas Adams.
So long, and thanks for all the fish.
I’d be a bookworm. Because it’s ironic.
I’d be a crab to have a good excuse for being crabby.
Cat. Because…. Purrrrr!
Panda …. because I am not very agile and I like Kung Fu.
good stuff !
i’d be a koala. 22 hours of sleep per day, baby!
I’d be a rhino. Coarse skin for endurance and resistance to blows. Capable of charging and focusing when necessary.
I’m not sure what kind of animal I would be. A dog I guess – hopefully not a house dog though. I have 2 of them – and their life can be boring at times.
I’d be a capuchin monkey. They are clever little guys.
I’d be a chameleon, lurking and listening and unseen by others, then whipping out a cogent interjection or facilitating question on the end of my long tongue when the conversation bogs down. So lightening fast nobody notices, and In the end, the conversants believe they came to their solutions and innovations all by themselves. Which is how it should be.
I really like to be human, but if i have to be animal i want to have maximum posibble awareness of beeing it (and having fun :)). I think think dolphin is the best choice because it gives you enough intellectual capactity to understand how cool it is when can swim&dive sea.
A cow in India, do nothing but eat and sleep with no risk to be eaten.
Given the choice, I would be a moose. Running up to 60 km/hr, great swimmers and lethal roadkill. The ultimate ninja-like trifecta for Northern Ontario!
Arctic Tern – Who else is such a world-travler? :-)
An elephant, because it makes sense.
I would be a domesticated rabbit, just so I could chew all of the furniture and wall panels of the home and, possibly, get my owners evicted from their apartment.
I’d be a Bluebird… headlong into the plate glass! ;)
I would be an octopus. who want to be versatile?
Man, Nathan, you know how to bring the lurkers out of the woodwork!
I’d be a bird. Who doesn’t want to fly?
Ah! Trick question. Humans *are* animals.
JJ
Without a doubt, I’d take the opportunity to be a Terodactyl. You could fly around the world and see it’s beauty before it gets spoiled by the human race.
I’m an engineer, so I suppose a beaver would make sense.
I’d be an otter…always playing and exploring… and entertaining humans.
A falcon. I’ve always loves those fast flying birds of prey. They mean business.
a mockingbird. they’re the coolest kids on the block.
Bat because..who wouldn’t want to be a bat?
I’d be a Slender Loris, passion for the speed :)
I would be a blackbird so I could sing in the dead of night.
I’d be a cat living in the house with a crazy cat lady. I’d get all the care and feel superior to people.
It would be a kitty. Why? Look: http://www.8balls.com.br/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/gato-sortudo.jpg
A Condor because they are the largest flying land birds in the Western Hemisphere. The simbol of my Country, fly too high and according to the Incas they are inmortal
I’d be a hermit crab, not so much of a social player
I’d be a lemur! fun life I bet.
Panda. I’d like to hang out in eucalyptus trees with my buds.
I’d be a petrel or some other sea bird. You can fly, walk on the ground, swim and even dive — the whole fun! And you get the freshest possible sushi all the time.
some sort of big cat. they’re just too cool.
I’d be an otter.
they spend all the day playing and have nice moustache.
A sparrow – simple but a great flyer.
I’d be a flying squirrel. It looks exhilarating to launch from tree to tree like that. Fun.
Great contest! Thanks!
I’d be a butterfly, so gentle and yet moves so fast & quick wherever it wants to..
I would be a falcon – raining down fear from the skies.
I’d be a lolcat because then i’m in ur internets, cre8tin ur memes, chainjin ur kulchur.
I’d be a Koala Bear so I could be cute & vicious and stoned on Eucalyptus all day. ;P
i’d be a dolphin. for obvious reasons.
i’d be a honey bee – they are such in vogue right now, particularly in NYC where they just became legal! great, contest…look forward to more in the future.
I’d be an old tom cat: generally slow and grumpy, but occasionally quick and playful.
What I’d like to be: Bengal Tiger or Polar Bear… top of the food chain, long claws, strong, beautiful.
What I’d more likely be: some porcine sort of critter, or maybe a raven.
I <3 <3 <3 FLOWINGDATA!!!!
… and will continue to do so, in the likely event that I don't win the book.
I would be a Panda Bear…cute, cuddly, but ferocious when defending itself.
I’d be an elephant so I could eat and bathe myself with a trunk.
I’d be a tardigrade. Extremely adaptable to any any physical adversity.
no whammies, no whammies, no whammies, STOP!
A buffalo: noble, American, nearly extinct.
I’d be a cat, curious, and lazy.
I would be an axolotl.
Cortazar got me with this creature ever since I read his short novel :)
I’ve always liked my sign – Taurus – but I think I’m closer to a cat of some sort… a tiger, that’s what I am. Intelligent, but very athletic and agile.
A chameleon. I am good at adapting to my environment. Also – I can move each eye separately.
A giraffe. Because they are so cool when they run.
I’d be a sea otter. Playing all day in the surf and occasionally floating on your back eating seafood off your stomach? Sounds like a good life to me.
I’d be an Aardvark, because I like being first.
I’d be a beaver.
A hardworking, dilligent, natural engineer who fetches their own materials, and builds one helluva dam!
Totally an otter, i think. Or some sort of mustelid -they’re pretty cute.
I am an animal (aren’t we all?) and I rather like being a human (most of the time) but if I had to be another I’d be a bonobo. Yes, its about the sex…
Thinking about being a bee — imagine the visualizations through multi-faceted eyes!
a unicorn. so i could exist (or not) at will.
The movement you need is on your shoulder…
I’d be a dolphin. The best way to go through life is with an intelligent and playful disposition.
Octopus – I have several arms, suction cups, and I can solve complex analytical problems better than any other animal on the earth!
An otter, just floating around on my back, relaxin’.
Lion – power and beauty
Will place this next to Tufte’s tomes
I’ll be a book worm of course. Eagerly awaiting my electronic copy to chew on… oops!
Jackalope, all the way.
A goshawk, blasting through the brush chasing rodents by wing or by foot.
Great book!!
Killer Whale– king of the ocean, plus you can beat up on sharks whenever you like
I’d be a dolphin – fun-loving, kind, witty and smart (and mostly just because I’ve always loved dolphins). – though maybe would not want to be a dolphin that lives in the Gulf of Mexico right now.
thanks for offering the contest!
I’d be a dodo– our most inexplicable creature
I’d be a penguin. How fun would that be? Except for the climate and the male duties, of course.
I’d be a giant squid, able to explore the depths of the oceans.
A Frog; jumping to conclusions, then diving into the water (data) to find the truth.
I’d be a Tantalus Monkey. Because it’s a monkey and I like the name.
Peregrine Falcon for me – flying high to observe the big picture and able to quickly zoom in to a small piece of relevant info (for lunch!)
I’d be a platypus cause they’re an abomination of nature
I would be a bird so I could fly and see more colors, be able visualize things better from a bigger picture-view :)
frog. because the world needs more frogs.
grizzly bear, but not a mean one, one of those disney ones that will wave at you and give you a real bear hug
I’d be a dog. I like back scratches.
Albatross. Head in the clouds all the time. :)
Chameleon – would be the best ease dropper ever.
Red-tailed hawk. Soar and swoop on the free currents of the wind.
A hummingbird – zooming around and drinking nectar all day.
I’d be an Ocelot so I could roll with Salvador Dali.
Shark – gotta keep moving or die.
a lion, of course.
Peregrine falcon. Intrinsically motivated, fast, dignified, and able to thrive in diverse environments.
I would be a pinyon jay so I could plant the seeds of the poor, dying pinyon in places they’re much more likely to survive.
Tiger – because sadly even one extra is a significant number these days
I’d have to be a dolphin so that I could stay underneath the water for long periods of time, be an awesome swimmer, and never need a surfboard again.
I would be a Whooping Crane. Oh sure, they are a very majestic bird. But I want to be one so I can make that most bizarre call they make.
A cat. Sleep all day and be taken care of? Yes.
human. cognition rules!
I…want…that…book. And I’m hoping to win it for free.
Excellent…
Answer the following question: if you were an animal what would it be and why?
A Quarter Horse: agile, athletic, wonderful to look at and highly competent at its tasks.
Last time I checked, I’m already an animal and I’m fine with staying human, thank you very much.
An owl…nocturnal, nearing extinction, always observing.
A salamander…so my nickname could be Sal.
While I would be a dolphin had I the option to choose, I think I am stuck with homo sapiens.
What a great data viz resource. Hope I win!!!
I’d be a duck, because who doesn’t like a duck?
Today I think I’d be a horse. I’d run on wide grassy plains, sip water from creeks, lolly in the shade, bump & play with other horses, winny and snort and stuff instead of using speech. If I were to work for humans, I’d do a good job so long as I were treated well, but my druthers would be to run around and do free-horse stuff out in the boonies someplace.
Dolphin for sure. Love to eat fish.
I’d choose to be a horse as well… lots of frolicking through mountains for me please!
Lion, king of the beasts.
I’d be a platypus. It’s basically a two for one, because I’d be a duck AND a beaver.
I will be an eagle to fly high and to see forward
Sweet. I’d love this into tatters. It will be part of the parliament of owls that make up my library.
Leafy Sea Dragon! Because plant meets animal and out comes a dragon – Grant
Some good comments on poor viz here:
http://www.straightstatistics.org/article/eeyore-takes-look-britain
Aneez
Love this blog. I think I visualize owning this book. Thanks
Elephant. No stress.
Looks like a great book, will love owning a copy :)
I’d be a giraffe, because I always have my head in the clouds but my feet firmly on the ground.
Galápagos Tortoise, Large, Long-lived, and great environment.
I would be a migratory bird, following the sun and living in perpetual summer.
Cuttlefish – just because.
eeyore. you know; the donkey …since my son tells me to get my donkey in gear…. well… in so many words
A civet. So I could make the supposedly finest coffee on Earth.
Longest comment thread evar.
A rabbit, because, er, that’s what my chinese horoscope says so
Meerkats.
They rule.
I’d be an otter so I could eat in the pool.
wallaby. who wouldn’t want a built-in pouch?
I’d be a butterfly, so I could flap my wings and cause hurricanes.
I’d be a brilliant zebra, because the intensity of black and white render themselves necessary and sufficient.
I’d be an owl… wise and mysterious
A bird. I wanna be free, like the bluebirds flying by me.
I’d be a bear, so I could hibernate on a regular basis.
I’d be a blue whale because it would be nice to be the biggest!
Eagle – to fly high above everything.
I’d be a tanuki, the Japanese raccon dog because the Japanese believe tanukis can shapeshift. Whether or not it’s true, it’d be cool if people thought that about you.
I would be a cheetah. Their patience is amazing. And when it is time to spring into action, they commit like no other animal
#1 PICK ME! #2 This looks like a really interesting book, please don’t force me to buy it! :-D
A moth, ever drawn to the flame!
I would be a killer whale. just search them on youtube
an ocelot: spotted and endangered
a duck: fly, swim, dive, waddle and quack. What more could you want?
I twould be a Grizzly Bear in Alaska with lotso Salmon and berries to eat , and nobody would mess with me, except maybe another Grizzz…
If I were an animal, I’d the ghost of a Louisiana brown pelican, so I could haunt BP executives for the rest of their days.
Lizard — An animal built for lounging.
I’d love to see this book.
I’d obviously be a hare, since I jumped and didn’t even finish reading the rules before trying to enter.
A dinosaurs – So that Spielberg wont have to use a body double, and I get to act in a Hollywood movie
Joshua Carmody
I’d be an elephant, so I would never forget any of the data I would need to make beautiful infographics. :-)
I would be a panda.. n sleep a lot
I am/would be a penguin – I think in part because I can’t fly and prefer the cold.
Jaguar, just like how it runs and besides it’s also the fastest computer in the world now.
A dog–maybe a golden retriever–domesticated, bred and a best friend.
Dolphin: intelligent, innovative problem solvers. Plus, it’s always a party!
PS. surely you could ship to canada?
I’d be a jackal consuming food others consider inedible.
A lizard – because my wife is really scared of them !!
Turtle, from the Bugs Bunny cartoons, he always had this huge house within his shell. Loved that.
An elephant. There is no creature quite as unique in so many ways — 5 limbs, ivory tusks, a prehensile nose used as a hand, its size, etc. Love ’em.
I’d be a whale … travel widely, and do no harm
i’m happy with the animal i am at the moment.
Paaaallllleeee-thththththrrrrrooooooaaaaat-t-t-teeeed-d-d-d……………………………………… sloth
I would be a cockroach and outlive all of humanity..
I’ d be a goldfish, caught in a round glass dreaming of the ocean.
I’d be a peregrine falcon, the fastest animal on the planet in its hunting dive.
Focus on the target as a natural instinct, visualization is part of their routine :)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Peregrine_Falcon
a flying lemur. hoping from trees sounds kind of cool.
a mouse, to rule on scientists (cf. h2g2)
id be a leopard. ive tattoed their skin onto mine 4years ago and i can chance my mind anymore:)
I would be some sort of Viper Snake, because then I could slither around watching the world in infrared :) gives a much simpler picture of your data.
Grizzly Bear, so I could maul others!
A Husonian Godwit. To be able to fly up to 6500 miles in one jump. And they are just great looking birds.
Dolphin, so that I can swim with just half my brain asleep
Yes, i want to be a nightinggale, so i can sing wonderful!!!!
B-e-A-utiful
Looking forward to read this book, happy not being a chinchilla or a dolphin because i guess there won’t be any waterproof or running wheel version of it…
I’d be a minature
giraffe and would probably need to be called an iGiraffe due to my popularity ;)
Cat, I love Lasagne.
Me like books
omg, i want one!!!!
pick me a winner!
It’s a visual world and we’re only beginning. I’d love to see this in my hands.
perhaps an owl – but with an expanded vocabulary – I couldn’t be content with just Who? – I need to know what? where? how? why? and put it all together in a nice graphic ;-)
I’d be a crazed ice weasel, because that phrase has stuck in my brain ever since reading Matt Groening’s Life in Hell cartoons in 1986.
Elephant: strong and elegant
I’d be a chipmunk…tiny and sociable, an absolute engine of destruction, and fast enough to always, always, always avoid capture by the clearly evil homeowner whose foundation I enjoy chewing through. And maybe with a cartoon gig on the side.
Panda bear!
The Chinese zodiac says I’m a rat, can’t argue with that
I’d be an owl. Noctural. Flight. Easy!
No contest – river otter! They spend almost all of their time at play and have very strong communal/family ties, which bring more passed-down knowledge than your average aquatic rodent has.
I’d be a “Paradoxurus hermaphroditus” : they like your $@…
Two-toed sloth—maybe I’d finally get enough sleep!
I’d be a housecat, many naps, free food, and pets when desired. Meow.
hermit crab. a protective shell is a good thing to have.
Sea Turtle. get to live in the ocean and not be a shark, fish, obese whale, or other odd looking creature.
I think I’d like to be a dolphin, swimming in the ocean would be a nice change of pace. As a bonus, they can pwn sharks…
Looks like a great book, hope it will be mine :)
I’d be a bear- mostly because they get to eat whatever they want from fish to berries, to honey, to veg, to meat, to picnic baskets!
I would be a human animal. So that I can feel love and loss and pain and anger and fear, but also understand them.
Chameleon, so I can be invisible.
Tiger. Because it takes the immortal hand or eye to dare frame my fearful symmetry and that’s what humans should aspire to emulate when they create art.
I’d be a monkey, with a prehensile tail so I could hang upside down and use it to hold things. I’d also like to be able to use my feet as hands.
In “Descent of Species” a short story published in David Eagleman’s “Sum”, forty tales of afterlives, you are allowed to select an animal to be reincarnated as: “you morph into a horse, so does your consciousness, and you realize that “you cannot revel in the simplicity unless you remember the alternatives.”. I want to be the complex alien that would choose to be “human” for a simpler life.
I’d like to be an actual Hawk. Cos then I could fly. But then I couldn’t operate my HTC, a PC or read this book. Dang.
A chipmunk, fast and industrious
I would like to be an eagle, fly high, drink fresh & cool mountain water and spy :)
I’d be a hawk – soaring free, but deadly.
I’d like to say that I’d be a shark – the only animal immune to learned helplessness, also known as depression (in experiments, other animals will give up trying to escape from a cage equipped with electric shocks – sharks never do) – but honestly I’d probably be a snail. Why? They can sleep for three years. Sigh.
I’d be a polar bear. Cute to the girls, a bloody bastard from time to time.
I’d be a Parastratiosphecomyia stratiosphecomyioides so that I could enjoy the comforts of home while still taking flight. I’d also cool off on a mound of poo.
I’d be a tyrannosaurus rex – my kids would be quite impressed.
Eagle. Superior vision and mobility.
A Unicorn. What with the pooping rainbows and whatnot.
Humboldt squid. Quick, tentacles everywhere, gentle until provoked, packing an ability to instantly change colours – sweet trait for visualisation! http://bit.ly/PRcEf
cool
wish myself luck :D
I would love to be a chimpanzee, because they are simultaneously sophisticated and silly. They are also one of the few animals that laugh!
Worm. Looks like a sparkline. I like sparklines. Saw Jer Thorp speak yesterday – good stuff
I’d have to say golden retriever – faithful and loving without conditions.
I’d be a moon bear, because they exude a remarkable sense of peace, and I also saw a YouTube video of one tossing around a bamboo stick like it was nunchucks.
I’d choose a Spider: sneaky, stealthy cunning and creative
I’d be a human. That way I could think about questions like “which animal would you be” and then read all of the creative responses.
I’d be a lion because it’s my middle name in my native language.
Dolphin – swimming all day long!
an eagle … to soar high in the sky
Book!
I’d be a red-wing blackbird, because I love their song.
Bring it on!
Human. More in control of your destiny.
A lemur, because I don’t monkey around. ;)
I would be a sea otter. Super cute, delicious uni all day, enough danger to make life interesting, but most of the time you just float around on your back.
a wolf. To move fast and silent and devour any competition :D.
Monkey – mischievous, shrewd and otherwise awesome
A dolphin… swimming, playing, and smart!
A shrimpanzee, because i like to shake hands with octobuzzards.
I’d be an eagle…to fly of course…great vision a bonus.
A gnu, because it’s not unix.
A caterpillar. I like dramatic changes.
I’d be a pangolin, because they have nifty scales.
I’d be a corporation; they have no responsibilities!
I’d be Winnie the Pooh – I know everything will work out, I enjoy staying calm, and I’m proud of my horizontally challenged figure.
I would be a squirrel. They navigate a space that is not quite the ground, and not quite the sky, but somewhere in between. They are nervous and twitchy and always have an eye on things, but still playful.
Is there a preview of the contents anywhere?
A dog. What’s not to like.
Comment to try and win!
kirin, mystical beast which also happens to be a beer label. Isn’t that reason enough?
i’d choose to be a hippo. relaxing mud baths all day plus birds can clean my teeth!
I’d be a panda, sleeping and eating all day.
I’d be an aardvark, so I could have the statistically improbable (in English) “aa” and “dv” letter combinations.
my father’s paradise is a wonderful book.
Tortoises are my second favourite animals after cows.
I’d like to be a floating bird, however – maybe a swan or a male duck. Floating around suitsme just fine.
I’d be a duck, because ducks fly together!
Human is the animal I’d most like to be. They have the best tools.
I’d be a dung beetle, because no matter how much crap there is in the world, you’ve always got a home!
I´d be a shark, most amazing animal in the sea!!!
A kangaroo so i could experience big air while hopping around.
I’d be a three toed sloth, one of the green ones that hang there covered in algae
Bengal Tiger may be.. most elegant of all
I’d be a mid-nineties panda hacker … Sold out for a couple of bucks and facing the extintion.
Pistol shrimp. So much potential.
A Platypus, because only person you have to be cool too, is yourself.
I used to want to be a polar bear since they can hang out on land and in the water, but after seeing an inconvenient truth, I’m gonna change that.
I’d be a macaw parrot. That way I can live for 100 years and hang out in the rain forests.
I’d be a Waterbear they are comfortable anytime and anywhere. The universe turned into a vacuum you say? Quite alright, now I just feel a bit lighter. Freezing cold? I’ll just take a nap. No food? Not a problem. Politics? I could care less. I’m a WATERBEAR!
Count me in.
I’d be a cat, cuz they’re just too cool.
Dolphin: it’s about the water, whistles, and clicks.
Not creative but true; dogs are the only animal that don’t have to work for a living, and are in constant happiness.
A dolphin, hands-down. Hell I’d want to try being a dolphin even if I didn’t *have* to turn into a non-human. They seem to have fun with life, and they’re smart!
A moose, because it’s fun to say “moose”.
I want to be a Tiger beautiful but dangerous. Elegant and agile.
Koala. Chilling in a tree munching on eucalyptus all day must make for some compelling visualizations…
I’d be a falcon. I could see data trends from 5000 feet with my superior visual acuity, then dive in with grace and speed for a detailed view.
I’d also be a tortoise. Not cause they’re slow and steady. Cause they’re rad.
An Impala: happy and healthy! “I’m lovin’ it” – something’s clearly wrong here…
Anyways: the only animal who has the guts to be hoppin’ around in king Lion’s country with a big McDonald’s ‘M’ on it’s ass
A platypus … an egg-laying, venomous, duck-billed, beaver-tailed, otter-footed mammal .. how rad is that?!
I would be a Tyrannosaurs Rex so I could roar very loudly.
Badger. Sharp claws get the digging done. Snarly and nasty when you threaten my family. Punch above my weight. Mostly live and work underground, away from the sunlight that burns us, my precioussss. :)
Bear. I like bears.
Have I won yet?
I would be a Tuatara. Ancient slow moving lizard with a third eye.
Orca: Each pod has its own distinct language – a brilliant animal.
I’d be a pie-thon … so I could wrap myself around loads of sweet pie charts!
I’d be a lion, I like to pounce!
Cheers!
A sea turtle… but one of the few that actually make past the gauntlet of seagulls to the ocean. After that, smooth sailing.
A human. I like the abilities provided by our advanced brains. One ability is to process large amounts of information and the ability to appreciate an image. I can show you a visual instruction manual on how to use a fork properly, and you’ll probably understand how to use it after a few tries.
Beat that, Mr. dog.
A phoenix. When being enlightened, my egotistic “I” will die and the real “I” will born. “I” will realize that I am everyone and everyone is I, and “I” will naturally have all the wisdom and compassion for everyone. :)
I’d be a unicorn, the other white meat….
A liger-bred for its skills in magic…
a rescue dog, because they get all the love.
A hawk, to soar.
A river otter – fun, but smart.