Customer Reviews

The Non-Designer's Type Book

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I generally find typography one of those dry, tedious details I have to know to as part of my job. But THIS book makes it approachable, understandable, interesting, and even entertaining. As titled, this is a book for NON-designers - people who aren't usually interested in this stuff unless compelled to be, and who don't have a lot of time to learn it. If you're looking for something edgier or for "breaking the rules," this is not the book to start with. However, if you're one of those people with a thousand fonts on your computer and only about 3 you ever use, this book will open your mind to the possibilities.

Designers, don't let the title scare you. This is not a dumbed-down guide for amateurs. Yes, it's a great resource for amateurs and they will understand it, but it's also a wonderful guide for professional designers who need to review professional-level typography. It's a must-have reference in my library. Includes lots of ideas on layout, fonts you can use in different situations, fonts that complement each other, increasing legibility and special typographic effects.

When I picked up this book, I figured that the title, "The Non-Designer's Type Book," meant that it was a book about type, FOR non-designers. After reading it, from cover to cover, I now wonder if the title refers to the author's credentials rather than the book's target audience. I love typography. I sit in theaters and watch every minute of the rolling credits if the font used is well chosen and well displayed. I have a Caslon 540 lower-case "g" pinned to the wall above my Mac instead of swimsuit pics. If you love type, you know what I'm talking about. If you love type, avoid this book and do not recommend it to anyone who hopes to someday love typography and master its use. Robin Williams' cutesy and heavy-handed text, while sometimes informative, is loaded with irritating "insights" as well as written-in-stone directives that are passed off as law. For instance, in at least two places, she states that type should NEVER, EVER be underlined. She says that it's a "law" that should "never" be broken. C'mon Robin! I mean yes, underlining is very often misused, but have you looked at the latest PRINT or CA Annual? There is a time and a place for underlining and the sensitive, savvy designer knows when and how to do it. She outright trashes one of the most elegantly designed faces in the history of the printed word, Helvetica, and glibly states that it will be out of style for the "next two hundred years." What?? Again, has Ms. Williams even looked at what contemporary (and effective) designers are doing these days? Helvetica is alive and flourishing. And, at the same time she is trashing Helvetica, she calls "rendered" type (such as 3D effects, letters that appear to be chiseled from stone or made of, say, salad greens) typography's "most beautiful" trend. She's killin' me!! If you want to fulfill and expand your appreciation for typography, buy Robert Bringhurst's exquisite manual, The Elements of Typographic Style.

Robin Williams does such a great job explaining design concept's to "non-designers." I feel like she's teaching me. Here, she turns her attention to typography. Anyone could learn a great deal about typography without having read any other books on the subject from this book. Williams, being a designer, takes a visual approach to teaching typography and has a humorous way of hammering important points into your head. Not only will you be more sensitive to how type works after reading this book, but you will know the terminology of typography and, most importantly, know how to use type well and creatively.

Very accessible and readable.

It says it's for non-designers, yet I know some excellent designers who could use some basic typography training - as this book provides.

Robin Williams covers just what you really need to know in this short book. No useless chatter, just important information in a what-to-do and what-not-to-do manner with just the perfect dash of sarcasm and humour to create a relaxed atmosphere for learning.

The book begins with a bit of the history and structure of fonts. Very important information for beginners. But it immediately gets into information which results in an immediate improvement in your work whether you are a typesetter or graphic designer. You would now know what makes for tacky typography and what rules you could break to create a more artistic, daring, and edgy piece of work.

Every topic is accompanied by an illustration of the wrong way and the right way to do things and a list of the fonts used in the illustration (VERY HELPFUL!)

This is definitely a must-have book for anyone in the world of print media.

A brillant read. This book addresses different typograhic styles, the correct use of grammer, legibility issues of different fonts and the design approaches to adjust fonts in popular design software. I think the title 'non-designer' is a little misleading as this book benefits experienced professionals as well.

This book provided me with tons of valuable information on typography, such that even with my experience in desk-top publishing and web design, I learned a great deal.

The only drawback for me was that I found the author's style sometimes annoying and demeaning. The book is replete with comments like "don't be dumb", and frankly, I think the same information could be presented in an equally light and humorous manner without constantly implying that if the reader hasn't or doesn't follow all of the author's tips to a "t", he/she is somehow stupid, ignorant, etc. I would've enjoyed the book a lot more if Ms. Williams had treated her readers like equals. Teaching is never as effective when the students are being demeaned.

While the title suggests it's a weak primer for amateurs it is actually an excellent read for all those needing to review the basics of typography. Your work will look better and your confidence will improve after reading this book. Williams style is casual, often humorous, and always easily understood.

Too bad it's just a repackaging of Beyond the Mac is Not a Typewriter. I bought it cluelessly as there is no indication on the cover. A bit of a sales scam behind a generally good book.

This book is simply a repackaging of the book ÒBeyond the Mac is not a TypewriterÒ (I assume there is also a PeeCee version). The Amazon blurb doesnÕt mention this but the Peachpit Press website does.