I read the 2019 edition.
Summary
A textbook or crash course to data visualisation. This book introduces readers to data visualisation by not only focusing on charts, but also has chapters on data visualisation tools, data formatting, and presentation of data in PowerPoint. The book offers readers real-world case studies by having the data visualisation professionals as interviewees.
Things I like
1. It has a chapter on how to format data. A basic essential to all data visualisation that is not as widely discussed as the final chart itself. The chapter on how to put your data in a table ready for software to visualise brings me back to a data science course I have attended. The importance of data cleaning cannot be understated, and it is good to see a mention of it.
2. It has a chapter on presentation. The often neglected part like data preparation for data visualisation. The presentation part is useful as it allows readers to know how to show their visualisations to others. Besides self-satisfaction, recognition from others validates one's work. This chapter shows you how you may be able to get it.
3. It has a companion website - becomingvisual.com. The companion website provides more resources to the book like extra readings your tutors give at university classes - read for extra points.
Final Verdict: This book is suitable for somebody going into data visualisation but has no idea where to begin, like a freshman at university.