Fonts: The Secret History
Behind every well-made font is, typically, an obsessive individual who is out to make the world a beautiful place. And individuals, human beings, can be rather screwy. And here’s a book (now in paperback) about all the screwiness.
Simon Loxley’s Type: The Secret History of Letters blows the lid off of William Caslon’s wicked right cross; Stanley Morison and the Wardes; Frederic Goudy’s tarnished shining star, M.F.Benton’s ulcers and what really happened with John Baskerville’s dead body. And Eric Gill, religious sex junkie. Don’t even know where to start with that.
If you don’t think type is anything more than what’s on the font menu, stay away from this book. Because it’ll drag you into a world of intrigue, ego and dalliances with God and dog.
(Okay, that was a good sentence, but truth be told, the dog stuff isn’t in this book. You’ll need other sources for that)
Do want. It looks like a very yummy read.
Wow this is a marvelous find for anyone who loves type. It seems better than rummaging through bins and stalls for old type books at the book fairs.