There's a reason why everyone gets excited over a good infographic. A beautifully illustrated graph has the power to teach us something new and entertain us.
Now new book The Best American Infographics 2013 has collated the smartest and most stunning infographics published online and offline in America in 2013, with subjects ranging from happiness to sports to space to gender politics.
Author of art and information blog Brainpickings, Maria Popova, was on the judging panel to whittle down the best infographics alongside authors Gareth Cook, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and New Yorker writer, and musician David Byrne who has himself produced infographics.
Here are five of the top infographics in the book, from a periodic table of deaths in Breaking Bad to a flowchart to help you decide if you should check your email.

There's a reason why everyone gets excited over a good infographic. A beautifully illustrated graph has the power to teach us something new and entertain us.nNow new book The Best American Infographics 2013 has collated the smartest and most stunning infographics published online and offline in America in 2013, with subjects ranging from happiness to sports to space to gender politics.nAuthor of art and information blog Brainpickings, Maria Popova, was on the judging panel to whittle down the best infographics alongside authors Gareth Cook, a Pulitzer-Prize-winning journalist and New Yorker writer, and musician David Byrne who has himself produced infographics.nHere are five of the top infographics in the book, from a periodic table of deaths in Breaking Bad to a flowchart to help you decide if you should check your email.

Five of the best infographics of 2013

Five of the best infographics for life: from how to manage your emails to a seasonal food calendar