In 'Just My Type' Simon Garfield spells out the world of type, the histories, the uses, the errors. This book offers a delightfully frank and open journey that is very readable and accessible, it keeps the topic of text light and insightful without over simplifying the subject, taking us from the time of scribes through the Gutenberg revolution to today's world of instant type choice: extensive lists of fonts ready at a mouse click.

It seems it is very easy to overlook the richness and complexity of type design, good type rarely gets noticed, it's a sacrifice to the message it's carrying (although some may disagree where the type is the message) and yet it can contribute to the making or breaking of a political campaign, the effectiveness of an advertisement, the tone of an inter-office memo or the success of a movie. All of these aspects are discussed in 'Just My Type' including a personal favourite of mine where an anti-copyright infringement campaign used a font they they hadn't paid for! How embarrassing?!

This book will become gospel to the typophile and make converts of the rest, by the end of it you will find yourself inadvertently attempting to pick the font of that sign you just passed or trying to remember whether the previous book you read was in a serif or sans serif (go on, try now). It is a must read for anyone who has spent time considering what font he or she should use for the headers on a report or anyone who ever considered using Comic Sans or Papyrus for anything at all (don't do it!).

'Just My Type' is an engaging and enlightening book, it will have you captivated in it's ascenders and decenders, it's bowls and loops and it's stems and swashes, indeed you need only mention type to a graphic designer to hear a 40 minute soliloquy on the subtleties of the serif, type is exciting with the proper introduction and 'Just My Type' is that. It is also the much needed behind the scenes look into where type began and why type is still evolving and perhaps a sneak peek into where it is headed. An absolutely amazing and expertly executed book, 'Just My Type' will become the unassuming gem of any persons library.