Type Rules! [Hardcover]

Clarence H. Benson (Author), Ilene Strizver (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1581800479 | ISBN-13: 978-1581800470 | Publication Date: March 2001

This guide is for designers and non-professionals alike who want to use type to its fullest persuasive advantage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Type Rules! is a comprehensive source of information about the technicalities and art of typography. Strizver really knows her "type" and her expertise is clear as she ranges across topics from the history of typography and its nomenclature to recent developments in proprietary and computer generated typefaces. She has written this book for practitioners, positioning it as "the designer's guide to professional typography." She explains "what to do" with type and "how to do type". She unashamedly focus on MAC computers because that's what she uses, and that's what the design community mostly uses. It's a book with design in mind, not just because that's it's target market, but because its presented in a smart layout, with oodles of example of practical workman-like type, as well as type of the more artistic, original and intriguing variety." (webwombat, 8/6/10) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Back Cover

from principle to practice–the revised edition of the comprehensive introduction to typography

Type Rules!, Third Edition is an up-to-date, thorough introduction to the principles and practices of typography. From the fundamentals to cutting-edge applications, this Third Edition has everything today's serious designer needs to use type effectively. Dozens of exercises reinforce authoritative coverage on such topics as how to select the appropriate type for the job, how to set type like a pro, how to avoid common mistakes, and how to design a typeface, as well as how to fully harness the power of major design packages such as InDesign® and QuarkXPress®;—with new coverage of their latest versions.

"I've purchased and read just about every book on typography written over the last twenty-five years. Ilene Strizver's Type Rules! is one of the best. It's a book that will prove its value time and again."
—Allan Haley, Director of Words and Letters, Monotype Imaging

"Type Rules! is a must-have book for students and professionals alike. I highly recommend it."
—Prof. Ed Benguiat, world-renowned type designer and educator, School of Visual Arts

This new Third Edition includes:

• New information on OpenType, font management utilities, font web sites, and interactive typography
• An expanded history of type and an updated glossary of key terms
• Exercises throughout to help reinforce the concepts presented in the book
• A wealth of tried-and-true as well as recently developed type tips
• More in-depth type issues, including scaling logos

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 160 pages
• Publisher: North Light Books (March 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1581800479
• ISBN-13: 978-1581800470
• Product Dimensions: 11.2 x 8.8 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.3 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,134,472 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

51 of 52 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Contemporary Type Teaching Tool, March 30, 2001

By 

Dina K. Wasmer (Baltimore, MD United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Type Rules! (Hardcover)

I've been searching high and low for an up-to-date book to teach a graduate Typography course. Phil Meggs, Typographic Form and Function ©1985, is a wonderful tool, but recent students were critical of the "dated" nature of some of the material. "Type Rules!" is a great alternative and/or supplement.

Strizver makes her point clear from the get go - setting type is a craft, not something the computer does for us. Also, type communicates a message all by itself, and many of us are ignorantly communicating the wrong message.

However, the author never gets pompous or overly theoretical. The points she makes are accurate; clearly articulated; ground not only in research, but in a true understanding of type; and are communicated in a contemporary manner.

The "rules" are real-world tools and are applicable for novices as well as professionals. Please note: this book was not created to be a bullet point check off list for administrators and anyone who owns a computer with some fonts to pick from. This is a book for people who work to communicate a message with type, beyond the content of the written word. It's a well written, easy to read book with lots of fabulous examples from many of the men and women who got typography and typographic design where it is today; all very useful examples for teaching.

18 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars concise content coverage, love the binding, June 20, 2001

By 

Carolyn Hendricks (San Francisco, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Type Rules! (Hardcover)

I am currently employed as a typesetter and ordered this wondering if I needed another type book. But I was pleased with my purchase because while it has only 160 pages, it covers type from the origins of writing to customizing and designing your own fonts.

It has well chosen illustrations and covers some of the intricacies of setting type on the computer. I think it would make a good textbook for a college course in typesetting. I plan to use some of the illustrations to clarify things for people I work with who don't know what typesetting is all about.

And something I really appreciate about it is the binding. I have the 2001 hardcover edition (only one available, I think), and when I open the book and set it on a table, it stays open and it lies flat. It has stitched signatures without an excess of glue. (Unfortunately, stitched signatures are not a guarantee a book will stay open. Sometimes the binders glob on the glue after the signatures are stitched.)

4 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Decent book, but I've seen better, December 22, 2002

By A Customer

This review is from: Type Rules! (Hardcover)

Very, very disappointed. That's how I felt after falling for the hype...and buying this book, and its companion, "Type in Use". I already own a copy of Robin William's "Non-Designer's Type Book", and that book covers the exact same material in much better detail. "Type Rules!" has a few decent examples, but not enough to justify buying yet another book that covers the exact same topic.

If you're looking for a good book on the foundations of typography, check out Robin Williams "The Non-Designers Type Book", instead. Except for Robin's annoying attitude (easily remedied with a black felt-tipped pen), that book is easier to read, far more helpful, and includes lots more relevant information for the desktop publisher...

If you're a designer, and looking for a good book on typography, swallow your pride and buy Robin's book. You won't be disappointed (keep the felt pen handy).