A thoughtful and accessible journey through the history and practice of typography, where John D. Berry brings type to life as both craft and culture.
Working with Type: Selected Essays on Type and Typography is a selection of essays by renowned typographer John D. Berry about the modern history of typography and type design, from hand-set type and letterpress printing, through the history of digital type at Microsoft, to the complexities of creating new standards of excellence for flexible typesetting on the screen. The essays delve into the history of type, considering both how typefaces are created and how they are used in visual design. In clear, direct language, Berry lays out the modern world of type on the grid of history.
Table of Contents:
Working with Type:
Introduction vii
Font faces 11
The legacy of the Deberny & Peignot type foundry 33
The writing on the walls 41
U&lc: the business of type 53
Contemporary newspaper design 71
The shapes of language 83
Typography in China: a view from outside 87
Nothing impresses like letterpress 93
The typography of books 101
Getting it right 113
Vico mecum 117
What's my name? 123
Designing the Poets' flexible logo 127
Massimo Vignelli & organizing information 131
Acrobatics - putting the story on the screen 135
Unbound pages 143
What is needed 151
Legible fonts & readable text 157
Jack the printer 165
Getting it right 177
Mike Parker 1929-2014 185
Steve Renick: book designer 189
Biotypography: the doctor is in 193
Joachim Müller-Lancé: modular mirrors and interlocking shapes 197
Robin Kinross 205
Interview: Fontcast #23 211
Adobe Originals 215
Minion Pro 3 217
Acumin 233
Adobe Kis 245
Oso 257
Bickham Script Pro 3 269
Myriad Arabic 289
Myriad Hebrew 301
Trajan Pro 313
Trajan Sans 321
Carter Sans 329
Greg Thompson's Agenda 333
OurType Eva 337
Easy reading 341
Design for reading 345
Typographica 349
Type Works: Will Powers 353
Active literature 357
A measured response 361
Flexible typesetting 367
P98a: TOC 1 & 2 371
Coda: Imperial identity system unearthed 375
About the Author :
John D. Berry is a typographer, editor, book designer, and design writer, and a former president of the Association Typographique Internationale (ATypI). He is best known for his writing on readable, content‑driven typography and his long editorial career, including as editor and publisher of U&lc.
Review :
"Here, at last, is the unwritten history of typography, seen through battling technologies, corporate intrigues, and the devoted labor of unsung type nerds. Type--whether seen on a page, on a screen, or on a building facade--exists for reading. This engaging book is for type people who love to read, written by someone who knows more about his subject than just about anyone." --Ellen Lupton, author of Thinking with Type
"What sets this collection of essays apart is the fact that Berry is both a professional writer and an expert on typography. He has been involved in many of the key developments in the history of digital type, while also having an immense appreciation for earlier technologies. These factors give the essays a unique voice and perspective, worth reading for anyone interested in typography, in the design and development process of fonts, and in the people behind typefaces, technology, and fine printing." --Thomas Phinney, "The Font Detective"
"A tour d'horizon of contemporary typography, with fifty essays on its history, forms, and use. Designers are profiled, typefaces reviewed, physical and digital publications analyzed, legibility and readability discussed. The information is conveyed with the down-to-earth clarity distinctive of John Berry's excellent writing." --Matthew Carter, designer of Verdana, Miller, Galliard, and Big Caslon
"There is no pleasure quite like that of listening to a true master explain their craft. Berry is the typographer's typographer, and a brilliant writer besides, and his passion shines through in these fascinating essays." --Cory Doctorow, author of Little Brother and The Reverse Centaur's Guide to Life After AI
