Seven years is a long time in any industry, but when it comes to the worlds of design and technology (and particularly the point at which the two merge), it's an eternity! No wonder, then, that you (and about a million other readers!) have been eagerly awaiting this latest update to Robin Williams' enormously popular Non-Designer's series. In these pages, Robin defines the principles that govern type as well as the logic behind them so that you learn not just what looks best but why on your way to creating effective print and Web pages. Each short chapter in this thoroughly updated guide (which includes new coverage of typography in Adobe InDesign and Mac OS X) explores a different type secret or technique, including understanding legibility and readability; tailoring typeface to a particular project; mastering pull quotes and captions; working with spacing, punctuation marks, special characters, fonts, and justification; and more. The nonplatform- and nonsoftware-specific approach and Robin's lively, engaging style make this a must-have for any designer's bookshelf!

Amazon.com® Reader Reviews (Ranked by Helpfulness)

Average Amazon.com® Rating:  Based on 20 Ratings

Wonderful intro to the world of type... - 2006-02-15
Reviewer Rating:
As an avid reader and (some would argue) somewhat-successful writer, I spend a lot of time looking at the printed word. But I don't have a full appreciation behind the effort and thought that goes into how that word gets transferred from writer to reader on paper. Robin Williams has a great book for those of us who are not professionals in the world of typesetting... The Non-Designer's Type Book.

Contents: Centuries of Type; The Art of Readability; The Art of Legibility; Quotation Marks - Or Not?; Hang that Punctuation; Punctuation Style; Shift that Baseline; OpenType & Expert Sets; Small Caps; Oldstyle Figures; Ligatures; Condensed and Extended Type; Display Type; Kerning; Linespacing (leading); Paragraph Spacing; Alignment; Headlines and Subheads; Pull Quotes; Captions; Emphasizing Type; Line Breaks and Hyphenation; Swash Characters; Initial Caps; Typographic Color; Ornaments & Dingbats; Pi & Picture Fonts; Don't be a Wimp!; Evocative Typography; Choose a Typeface; Telltale Signs of Desktop Publishing; Trends in Type; Typographic Terms; Listen to Your Eyes; Font and Product Vendors; Special Characters; Index

It's easy to look at something written and get an immediate impression as to whether it looks good or not. But it's really hard sometimes to know exactly why. Williams demystifies the whole world of print design in such a way that even a novice like me starts to "get it". Her explanation of font styles and when to use what should be required reading for everyone putting words to paper. Just because you can use 10 fonts in a report doesn't mean you should. Going a little deeper, you learn about kerning (spacing between letters) and how that can be adjusted for the best visual results. All of these subjects continue to build on each other, and by the end of the book you have a solid foundation on the subject. What makes the book even better is that her writing style is conversational and somewhat irreverent, and there are an abundance of examples on nearly every page. Even if you already know a particular rule (such as using smart quotes or hanging punctuation), the visual nature of her writing can be used to glean ideas for your own work. Reference and inspiration in a single volume is a hard thing to accomplish, but she pulls it off with ease.

This is another one of those books that will stay close at hand. This will probably be more of a "stay at home" book, as that's where a lot of my writing takes place. But it's guaranteed to get slotted in next to all my other volumes that allow me to make-believe I'm a writer. Great book...

A MUST for type lovers - 2007-09-19
Reviewer Rating:
Contrary to the reviewer below, this book is most definitely a book about type for non-designers. I too love typography. Mantis neglects to mention, in his diatribe about underlining, that Ms. Williams makes it perfectly clear that a rule (line) integrated into the typographic design is entirely different from the underline feature that you hit with a keystroke. She advocates never hitting that keyboard shortcut, and she is correct. Ms. Williams also makes it clear she is creating guidelines for non-designers who need clear boundaries when they first begin, and that once you know the rules, you can break them with glee. Like Helvetica -- a very skilled designer can override the 1970s look that inevitably comes with Helvetica, just as a very skilled designer can work with art deco fonts and create a new look with them. But beginning designers aren't there yet, so Robin suggests some boundaries.

I found this book to be much more practical for the millions of people who are just discovering that there is more to type than "block text." Bringhurst's book is beautiful and philosophical and something to aspire to, but for nuts and bolts and clear guidelines that work on the page, The Non-Designer's Type Book is a must!

Read this only if you want to remain a "non-desiger" - 2009-03-08
Reviewer Rating:
I feel bad for doling out a single star, but as a professional designer in the sales and marketing field, I can't help but be horrified after reading this book. I know that many unknowing individuals who want to learn about design and typeface will find this book, and not knowing any better, decide to base their design approach on the principles within.

I'm not sure what niche or genre Robin William's design approach fits best, but one thing I am certain is that it's not in the world of mainstream graphic design. It seems to me that her design theory is stuck in the 1992 desktop publishing era.

The most obvious evidence I can offer is the design of this book itself. Compare its design side by side with any modern marketing piece or national magazine. Do you really want someone who serves up her own Website like this to teach you design? http://www.ratz.com/robin/toc.html

The table of contents is as horrific example as any. It seems a concerted effort was made to pick as many of the goofiest and unprofessional typefaces as possible and fit them on the same page. Turn to page 19-20, the first transition page between chapters. Can you imagine a fortune 500 company publishing a piece with five font changes within a couple paragraph lengths of copy?

The single worst piece of advice I've ever read on design is contained with this book. On page 188 she lists the number one "telltale sign of desktop publishing" is use of Helvetica typeface.

The exact opposite is true. If there is one single piece of advice that could be given to a "non-designer" for making their publication appear professional it would be to use Helvetica.

It's an undisputed fact that a majority of professional copy is presented in Helvetica typeface. Look at any major magazine, sign, or advertisement and you're probably looking at Helvetica. Look at the publications of design leaders like Apple, the New York Design Center, [...], etc. Look at the productions of polished professional brands like Crate and Barrel, Target, Macy's, or Nike . . . almost all major brands have one thing in common, Helvetica.

The use of Helvetica to establish a foundation of professional design is probably the most established axiom of professional design. It's so substantial, a full-length documentary was recently released on the topic: [...]

If your goal is to produce a publication that will be perceived as professional and establish immediate credibility please please run from this book.

Useful, but often misleading - 2009-03-02
Reviewer Rating:
This is a handy basic introduction to type design issues. But it is marred by some of the author's eccentric beliefs, stated as facts.

First of all, whatever you think of Helvetica (and I'm not a fan), I don't think it's showing any signs of fading from our public spaces, more's the pity.

Second (and related to the above), her fondness for wacky, eye-catching, "novelty" typefaces is going to lead many people in quite the wrong direction. If you're designing a club flyer or a magazine ad., maybe it's useful advice; but, if taken to heart by a beginner, it would be a disaster for the production of readable, proportioned, pleasing typography in long texts. As for her defence - without a word of caution - of the use of bold italics for emphasis: I'm afraid that just makes me shudder! As a book editor as well as a typesetter myself, I can't tell you how many wasted hours I've had to spend removing such typographical detritus from the texts of authors who should have known better. Now I know where they might have got the idea from...

Finally, a smaller point, which may be to do with a difference between US and British usage, but of which UK users of this book should therefore be aware. To my mind, it is ugly and unwarranted (I'll just say it: illiterate!) to follow an italicised word or phrase contained within a roman paragraph with italic punctuation (or bold with bold, or whatever - see p. 67). Punctuation outside an emphasised phrase does not belong to that phrase, but forms part of the scaffolding that holds the phrase in place. Like all scaffolding, it shouldn't bend under the influence of what it's supporting, but should damn well stay put! (Don't just take my word for this - see section 6.6 of The Oxford Style Manual.) Lamentably, though, this does seem to be the general advice offered in most US texts on the subject. (And I'm not a knee-jerk opponent of US practice. The so-called "Oxford comma", prevalent not just in Oxford but in the US, though frowned upon by many UK style guides - and by Lynne Truss, I believe - seems to me like a very sensible thing.)

Very thorough and useful - 2008-06-23
Reviewer Rating:
I have to begin by saying that I have absolutely no experience in design or artwork. I have taken on a project (not exactly voluntarily) which I would prefer doesn't look completely amateurish by the time I finish. I got this book to give me some sort of reference in something I know I'm way over my head on.

It covers everything that an amateur needs to know; it is fairly well indexed so I can locate it quickly; it doesn't go into unnecessary detail, just the to-the-point-basics. It is perfect for someone who doesn't have time to read the whole book and just needs to look up specific aspects of design as the need arises; it is not only well-written, but also well-illustrated. So far, everything I've needed is there.

Having said this, I think that someone who already knows the basics or has design experience might find the tone of the book a little bit arbitrary or pedantic. In questions of taste or style there has to be a little more leeway for personal preference than this book would indicate.

The author does have rather firm ideas of what is right and what is wrong and how things must be done. I tend to agree and do things his way because I don't know anything different and I desperately need strict guidelines since I don't have time to experiment or develop my own style.

People who know more than I about the subject might or might not agree with all he says. But I think everyone will find this book useful at least as a source of reference or a starting point.

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