The Geometry of Type: The Anatomy of 100 Essential Typefaces

I appreciate the clarity of this book very much. When designing and looking at type you're working in a visual medium. The author understands this. No filler here, just facts.The first few pages summarise the different families of type. These will help you identify a style very quickly. However the bulk of the book, some 200+ pages, is given to well organised examples of typefaces with two pages for each face.Every double page spread shows you clearly the key features of the typeface. The illustrations are large enough that every detail can be seen, with each key detail noted and explained. A brief summary of the face and its relation to others is given, but most of the page is quite rightly dedicated to showing you the detail rather than just telling you.To Sum Up: It's become my preferred reference book on Typefaces. I'd suggest it as an essential buy for students and for anyone who loves type.

This is one of the very best books on type design. In recent years digital techniques have made the design of fonts more widespread - no more engraving of punches and making of matrices - and there is a much wider awareness of the nuances of letter design. Stephen Coles covers the ground very fully, from the designs that emerged in the infancy of printing to the latest digital productions. But this is not an historical book: it divides typefaces up into different groups and families and with clear examples and explanations points to the similarities and the differences - and these fonts are available to designers now. Mr Coles, with his clear text large and colourful illustrations makes font design tremendously exciting.

Taste is essential. It is also the ultimately intimate, inborn faculty - some of us may be less blessed with it, some would never bother, blinded by moral horror, which is assailing us every single day on news frontpages, every single second on our net appliances or mobile gadgets...A shame on us all. Remember: in order to hope you are not the a fatally lazy and useless animal, you should change, substantially, your damn life one (next?) Monday morning. [*]I swallowed the book overnight, now I have been savouring its tiny bits, turning its glorious pages back and forth, whenever I am not praising it to my colleagues, neighbors, collaborators and any faint acquaintances I could button down on the street.The Book is fine, it is fresh and modern, yet full of immaterial, almost altruistic value. I've learned that I did not know (despite couple of years acknowledged professional experience... Shame!) so incredibly many things about te art of typeface * (Cf.: Rilke's sonnet: "archaisches Torso Apollos"Further reading: Erik Spiekerman: Ursache und Wirkung. Ein typographischer Roman. H. Berthold, Berlin 1986.

This is a brilliant book for typographic novice and veteran both, and I would especially recommend this to anyone studying an Art or Design degree. A must for the graphic designer, its got an in depth analysis of the character's forms for a range of typefaces, some classic and some more exotic, but all gorgeous.

Love this book and it is a fascinating read (I am intrigued by all the various applications and types).

A very good guide to type design, details, uses and short foreword by Spiekermann. A useful glossary, anatomicallook at type and classification guide. 100 typefaces categorised through out...

A great book, excellent content, large size (this is not shown in the photo on the website). I advise this book graphic and type designer.

Book show casing the aspects of different type faces, is useful but not a necessity

I teach Graphic Design History in Higher Ed. This will be an invaluable resource. The seller shipped exactly when they said they would and it was received in great condition.

great book

Il libro è perfetto per chi è già pratico dell'argomento e valuta al microscopio 100 famiglie di font, di diversa tipologia. Perfetto per chi vuole capire come è costruito una font e come eventualmente realizzarne una.

If you're into typography, type design or design in general, this book is a great affordable resource

"The Anatomy of Type" von Stephen Coles beschäftigt sich nahezu ausschließlich mit dem Aufbau von (einigen) Glyphen von 100 Schriften. Eine kleine Einleitung klärt kurz über die englischen Begriffe zur Beschreibung von Schrift auf, dann folgt eine kurze Erklärung der dem Buch zugrundeliegenden Schrift-Klassifikation. Schön kurz und nachvollziehbar.Danach kommen die Schriften, eingeteilt in Kapitel, die den Klassifizierung entsprechen: Humanist Serif, Transitional Serif, Rational Serif, Contemporary Serif, Inscribed/Engraved, Grotesque Sans, Neo-Grotesque Sans, Gothic Sans, Geometric Sans, Humanist Sans, Neo-Humanist Sans, Grotesque Slab, Geometric Slab, Humanist Slab, Scrips, Display.Stephen Coles analysiert nicht nur die Schriften nach Formmerkmalen, x-Höhe, Achsenneigung, etc., sondern gibt in einem kleinen Kästchen auch seine Meinung zur jeweiligen Schrift ab. Oft auch, wo man diese Schrift seiner Meinung nach am besten einsetzen könne.Neben dem Schriftnamen gibt es auf je einer Doppelseite pro Schrift Informationen über die Herkunft und das Entstehungsjahr, eine kurze Glyphentabelle mit den wichtigsten Glyphen (ohne Ligaturen). Manchmal werden zusätzlich ein paar Glyphen aus anderen Schnitten gezeigt. Auf der rechten Seite werden zusätzlich bis zu drei Schriften (mit einer handvoll Glyphen) zum Vergleichen vorgeschlagen. Manche dieser Vergleichsschriften sind auch im Buch vorhanden.Während das Buch ganz gut ist, was die Analyse einzelner Schriften/Glyphen betrifft, ist der Ansatz mit dem Vergleich leider unausgereift. Auch wenn beide Schriften im Buch vorhanden sind, sind die Glyphentabellen viel zu klein für einen direkten Vergleich mithilfe des Buches. Die Beispielworte sind leider unterschiedlich und vor allem in unterschiedlichen Größen. Selbst die Vergleiche innerhalb der eigenen Schriftfamilie haben unterschiedliche Größen. Für Vergleiche ist das eher suboptimal.Suboptimal ist auch die farbliche Gestaltung des Buches. Jede Schrift hat eine andere Farbe. Manche sind Gelb. Gerade die Farbkombination Gelb auf Ocker finde ich sehr missglückt, wenn es darum geht, Formen einfach zu erkennen.Trotzdem 4,5 Sterne für ein brauchbares Buch, wenn es um die Formmerkmale einzelner Schriften geht, die man daheim vielleicht nicht auf dem Rechner hat."The Geometry of Type" ist übrigens dasselbe wie  The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces . Sogar die Schreibfehler ("Arhnem" (S.55) anstatt "Arnhem") sind gleich. Lediglich der Verlag und das Cover sind anders. "The Geometry of Type" ist das neuere Buch.Ich habe "The Geometry of Type" behalten, weil "The Anatomy of Type" unschöne Flecken auf dem Papier hatte. Keine Ahnung, ob meines eine Ausnahme war. Naja, "Printed and bound in China". Beide Bücher. Allerdings von unterschiedlichen Firmen. The Anatomy of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Typefaces