T-60. The History of 19th- & 20th-Century Typography & Printing - Advance Reading List

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  • Preliminary Advices

    These readings will introduce you to the technological, cultural, and aesthetic aspects of printed letterforms and will serve as important background for our course. They may also help you prepare to do a 5-minute presentation on a typeface of your choice in the latter part of our RBS week. Many of these readings are available in multiple editions. We have intentionally not specified editions so that you will have maximum flexibility in locating these readings (don’t forget inter-library loan!). We will also share a list of videos for you in advance of our class. These videos will complement the readings below and help you prepare to engage with our class demonstrations and discussions.

  • Required Reading

    Bringhurst, Robert. The Elements of Typographic Style. Any edition. For historical synopsis and an introduction to the aesthetics of typography, please read Chapter 1 (“The Grand Design”), Chapter 2 (“Rhythm and Proportion”), Chapter 3 (“Harmony and Counterpoint”), and Chapter 7 (“Historical Interlude”).

    Lupton, Ellen. Thinking with Type. Any edition. Available as an e-book. Please read “Letter” and “Text.”

    Seddon, Tony. The Evolution of Type: A Graphic Guide to 100 Landmark Typefaces. 

  • Recommended Reading

    Howard, Nicole. The Book: The Life Story of a Technology. Any edition. Please read Chapter 5 (“Maturity: Books in the Age of Automation 1800-1900”) and Chapter 6 (“The Future of Books: Twentieth Century and Beyond”).

    Updike, Daniel Berkeley. Printing Types: Their History, Forms, and Use. Any edition. Please read Volume I, Chapters 1–3 (“The Invention of Printing: The Cutting and Casting of Types in Relation to Their Design,” “A Font of Type and Its Case: The Typographical Point: Point-Set and Lining Types,” and “The Latin Alphabet and Its Development Up to the Invention of Printing”) and Volume 2, Chapter 24, Part 7 (“Conclusion”).

  • Optional Browsing

    Griffin, Dori. Type Specimens: A Visual History of Typesetting and Printing.

    Lawson, Alexander. Anatomy of a Typeface. Boston: David R. Godine, 2010.

    Morison, Stanley. A Tally of Types. Any edition.

    Kelly, Rob Roy. American Wood Type: 1828–1900. Saratoga, CA: Liber Apertus Press, 2010.

    Shields, David. The Rob Roy Kelly American Wood Type Collection: A History and Catalog.