Every typeface, beyond its shape, carries its own story and a cultural, historical and social legacy; it creates, by its sole presence on a page, beyond the meaning of the written words, an actual ambiance. This book is here to give you all the keys which will allow you to choose the right font for any given job, and to make a relevant and aesthetic layout.
About 60 typefaces are presented along its pages; each of them is analyzed, its designer is presented, as well as the social context and every connotation brought out by its use. A form at the end of the book will allow you to find easily and quickly the right font based on keywords. Furthermore, a few personalities from the world of typography and publishing (Erik Spiekermann, Xavier Dupre, Alejandro Paul, Alain Beaulet or Bas Jacobs) participated to the book by answering the tricky question "what is your favorite typeface?"
It is therefore possible to read this book in many different ways: either you need to quickly find the answer to a professional problem, or you read it from beginning to end, as an amator willing to know more about these letters we read without thinking, these familiar alphabets we see everywhere and abouth which we actually don't know much.
This new edition, which follows the success of the first print, have been completely reviewed and upgraded, contains 50 pages more, with new typefaces and exclusive participations from Jim Parkinson, Nick Shinn, Etienne Robial, Jean-Christophe Menu and Bruno Leandri.