The best part Ethan Marcotte’s new book, Responsive Web Design (available from the fine people at A Book Apart on June 7th) is that it’s brimming with his thoughtful ideas and unique approach. Actually, the best part of the book is the immediate and concise way he ties together everything you need to know to start practicing “responsive” design yourself. On the other hand, the best part is his hilarious self-deprecating humour that makes it almost impossible to read without hearing his voice narrating it in your head. That’s just me? Oh.

The prescience and immediate relevancy of this book cannot and should not be understated as the world of web design is further inundated by new devices and greater uncertainty, demanding an increased need for flexibility to understand and manage it all.

And while the concept of responsive web design might not be a silver bullet (it never claimed to be), Ethan’s book does a brilliant job of wrapping what you need to know into a straightforward and accessible package — covering both the lenses through which to approach deciding whether it’s an appropriate choice for a given project, and how to go about making it happen if it is.

Responsive Web Design is 155 pages of compact insight and unquestionably one of the most important books you’ll read many, many times this year.