The New Typography (Weimar & Now: German Cultural Criticism) (Paperback)

by Jan Tschichold (Author) "The revolutionary technical discoveries of the late 19th and early 20th centuries have been only slowly followed by man's ability to make use of his..." (more)
Key Phrases: die neue typographie, new typography, old typography, Kurt Schwitters, Willi Baumeister, Post Office (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal
The publication in English of this seminal work on 20th-century typography is long overdue. First published in 1928 in Germany and out of print for many years, this text has been recognized as one of the most important statements of modern typographical design. This curious and fascinating work ranges through theories of social criticism, art history, architecture, and the emerging importance of photography as it sets forth very definite guidelines regarding the design of printed materials. The final sections are indeed practical guidelines, down to sheet sizes and appropriate mixes of type, for the day-to-day use of working designers and printers. In addition to presenting a clear and faithful translation from the German, the new edition takes special care with design and appearance, closely duplicating the type and layout used in the original. A clear introduction places the work in the context of such movements as the Bauhaus, Constructivism in Art, Marxism in political and economic thought, and National Socialism. Essential for libraries with any special interest in the graphic arts and worthwhile for all libraries collecting in the area of design, it should also have a place in all larger art history collections.
Mark Woodhouse, Elmira Coll. Lib., N.Y.
Copyright 1995 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review
"A comprehensive, practical handbook to guide the typographer. . . . The tone, here, is that of a master craftsman; practical and informative, it neither avoids detail nor loses sight of broad principles."--Paddy Cramsie, "Times Literary Supplement

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Product Details

• Paperback: 280 pages
• Publisher: University of California Press (November 30, 1998)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0520071476
• ISBN-13: 978-0520071476
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 5.8 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #805,551 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

26 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Get the Hardcover Version, November 3, 2000

By	W. Todd Dominey (Decatur, GA United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I don't want to repeat what others have already said, so here's a word of additional advice. Avoid the paperback copy and spend a few extra dollars on the hardcover version. Part of what made "The New Typography" what it was when it was printed was not only the contents inside, but the outside of the book as well. In sharp contrast to the classical title boxes on the spine of most books, 'The New Typography' was released in black cloth with silver / metallic ink on the spine, with the sans serif title reversed. Looks rather normal now, but imagine the response in the late 1920s. I have seen both the paperback version and the hardcover, and there's no comparison. If you want the total package, outside of finding a long lost copy of the first edition, get the hardcover. It's worth it, especially for purists.

15 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Manifesto for a Typographic Revolution, September 20, 2000

By	Benjamin Rowe (Cincinnati, OH USA) - See all my reviews

Jan Tschichold wrote this book while still a young man, in reaction to the horrible typographic styles of the late 19th and early 20th century. As such, it is more an expression of a revolutionary spirit than a guide to good typography. The author himself rejected most of the ideas in the book a decade or so later. But it remains greatly influential, particularly in the field of graphic design for periodicals. Definitely worth reading, as a balance to the conventionality of most typographic books.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A founding document of modern history, May 16, 2004

By	wiredweird "wiredweird" (Earth, or somewhere nearby) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Typographic history, at least. This book was first published in 1928, and seems to have been the founding manifesto of the "Swiss school" of typography. This is a must-read for all serious students of type, and for a few others as well.

First, the messages for typographers. The book itself is part of that message: sanserif body text, bright white paper, and geometric red and black graphics. Tschichold uses a few conventions that I quite like. Footnotes are indicated inline and at the end of the page by a heavy black mark. At first, it looked like a blot on the gray of the body type. After seeing it a few times, though, I realized that the heavy mark was very helpful for recovering my place in the reading after my eyes moved away to read the footnote. Emphasis is shown with heavy rules in the outer margins around text, much the way I mark books myself. My only complaint about the book as a whole has to do with indistinct paragraph breaks - there is clue from indentation or line spacing, so it is actually possible to miss a pragraph break altogether.

The second half of the book shows a number of examples, good, bad, and (today) historically interesting. Almost all examples are bold red and black - the first two colors to be used up in most sets of crayons. It is easy to forget that these examples were often designed for letterpress, since photocompostion barely existed as we understand the term. Despite Tschichold's passion for modernity, the style now looks as dated as Bauhaus, streamlined locomotives, and Art Deco.

The first half of the book is for typographers, but also for any modern student of polemic. Not many people have strong feelings about typography, so the ranting can be considered by itself. Tschichold's style is based on "the spirit of our age" somehow revealed to him alone, and on Germanic philosophical absolutes. It is ironic that, during the cultural purges of pre-WWII Germany, Tschichold was among those rounded up for politically incorrect artwork - another absolute in conflict with his own.

Happily, Tschichold was able to emigrate to Switzerland before war broke out. He had a long and influential career, and later regretted the strident excesses of youth that this book captures.

This is useful as a guide to typographic style, but beginners will probably get more from modern texts. It gives a very informative view of the DIN standards for paper and business correspondence. Most of all, however, it captures a time and a mentality that no longer exist, but that guided one strong school of typographic practice for over 80 years.