on 31 May 2002Anyone interested in or involved with type should buy this book, but not because it’s in any way definitive. It has many of the characteristics of a primer, covering every aspect from the physiology of speech through the history of type to tables of ISO character sets. But this is no bluffer’s guide.
References to principles and schools are sparse; a brief section on classification is concerned less with outlining systems than noting their shortcomings. Real-world examples (which are outnumbered by rather basic academic illustrations) reflect the idiosyncrasies of co-author Phil Baines, such a familiar name in British typography that it’s hard to believe the blurb’s assertion that he graduated from the RCA only in 1987. (Collaborator Andrew Haslam, a science textbook designer, presumably contributed much of the book’s straightforward structure and painstakingly explanatory text.)
We know Baines is into classic, often ecclesiastical, British type of a post-Arts & Crafts bent, and plenty duly appears, along with the kind of sandal-wearing letterpress work that reminds you why Macs are so handy. But you won’t be disappointed by the volume of erudite and clearly presented information. Simply essential.
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