Customer Reviews

Typography

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Warning: Handling this book can cause bodily injury. Consult a doctor if you have previously had joint or muscle problems. Part of the size and weight of this book is due to the English/German/French translation, which triples the text area. This is a custom typical of Continental European art&design publications, whose readership usually knows no other language than their native one (note--I'm from Italy and I speak from experience). Personally, I would have preferred a book 30% smaller and lighter, with more actual information inside. Oh, and about the content: the "Who's Who" section, which represents the bulk of the book, does not mention D. B. Updike or Francis Meynell! Here we have a problem of defining the field. If you are interested in graphics design, this book is definitely for you. If you care about TYPOGRAPHY, defined as the art of designing and manufacturing printed pages, well, go read something else.

Bought my 7lb copy in Sydney in July. Brief sketches of type designers, foundries, graphics designers--largely European (but plenty of Americans). In Engl/Fr/Ger. Illus on every page of entities on the page, mostly in color: Typeface (mostly metal) alphabets, type layouts, graphic designs. Entries are usually a couple of pghs, but F.W.Goudy entry, for example, lists most of his type designs. A typography fancier with a good set of reference books will find little new about the Goudys, Gutenbergs, Zapfs and Bodonis, but will find useful notes not generally available elsewhere, particularly on graphics designers and digital typeface designers, and, for instance, an entry on Eckehart SchumacherGabler and his Leipzig project. GREAT VALUE for the money.

I teach university level Graphic Design and Typography and brought my copy into class, like I do many books, hoping to inspire my students. If anyone has ever taught young college students, inspiration doesn't always come as we expect. Most of the time they give a half willing glance with little comment. However, when I brought this book into class, showed them the contents, and then noted the price, their interests immediately grew. It is an extremely large book and full of examples or overviews of everyone throughout history who has made contributions into design and type. It is not meant to be an exhaustive book on the subject and there were some designers and artists which possibly needed or deserved more exposure. However, it sparked enough interest in my students that before the class was over I had five students signing their name for me to order them a copy.

Once those interested received their copies, I heard them speaking among themselves and one particular young man, who seldom has anything positive to say, said to his friend. "It's an awesome book dude. You should come over sometime and look at it."

I recommend this book for anyone needing a little inspiration. It touches the tip of the ice berg, but sometimes that is all it takes!

As a professor of Visual Communication, I recommend this book to all of my design students and collegues for several reasons:

a) it is an excellent reference for finding information on typographers, influential institutions and design movements.

b) it is hard to find a page in this book that doesn't ask to be looked at closer-the entire book is in full color, with examples of posters, magazines, parchments... anything with type that is influential. The examples chosen are excellent and well placed. Many books only have black and white examples with just a few in color. It is hard to visually understand a design without its full dressing. This book shows works in their original glory.

c) the price is very modest for what you get in return.

You will wear out this book-buy two!

A comprehensive, quick, one-stop source of information for designers on design styles, who designed what, when and how in relation to Typography. An indespensible book for designers and students of design. Ideal for cross-referencing for research work and design projects.

This book, for the price, is a must-have for any graphic designer's library. It's great to skim through for inspiration or to look up individual designers' biographies.

Has everyone who is anyone in alphabetical order. Great if this kind of thing intrests you.