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On Book Design
How is a book designed? What do book designers think about as they turn manuscripts into printed books? In this unique and appealing volume, the award-winning book designer Richard Hendel and eight other talented book designers discuss their approaches and working methods. They consider the problems posed by a wide range of projects―selection of a book’s size and shape, choice of typeface for text and display, arrangement of type on the page, and determination of typographic details for all parts of the book within manufacturing and budget limitations.
As omnipresent as books are, few readers are aware of the “invisible” craft of book designing. The task a book designer faces is different from that faced by other designers. The challenge, says Hendel, isn’t to create something different or pretty or clever but to discover how to best serve the author’s words. Hendel does not espouse a single philosophy of design or offer a set of instructions; he shows that there are many ways to design a book. In detailed descriptions of the creative process, Hendel and the eight other designers, who represent extensive experience in trade and scholarly publishing in the United States and Great Britain, show how they achieve the most effective visual presentation of words, offering many examples to illustrate their choices. Written not only for seasoned and novice book designers, this book will fascinate others in publishing as well as all readers and authors who are curious to know how books end up looking the way they do.
As omnipresent as books are, few readers are aware of the “invisible” craft of book designing. The task a book designer faces is different from that faced by other designers. The challenge, says Hendel, isn’t to create something different or pretty or clever but to discover how to best serve the author’s words. Hendel does not espouse a single philosophy of design or offer a set of instructions; he shows that there are many ways to design a book. In detailed descriptions of the creative process, Hendel and the eight other designers, who represent extensive experience in trade and scholarly publishing in the United States and Great Britain, show how they achieve the most effective visual presentation of words, offering many examples to illustrate their choices. Written not only for seasoned and novice book designers, this book will fascinate others in publishing as well as all readers and authors who are curious to know how books end up looking the way they do.
224 pages, Hardcover
First published November 10, 1998
5 people are currently reading
226 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews
March 3, 2018
Hendel presents a lovely (and well-designed) array of perspectives on book interior design, but not until after he gives his own opinions for a few significant chapters. This was a good makeshift entry point to book design. It was like hearing several respected experts argue with each other in raised voices about process, which I will always pull out popcorn for, no matter what the discipline of the experts. The American/British design break, the early transition to computer design, and the strong feelings about running head size were the highlights that seemed to weave through each designer's chapter.
"Many American books seem overdesigned. Many British books look as though they've never been touched by a designer." -Virginia Tan
"Many American books seem overdesigned. Many British books look as though they've never been touched by a designer." -Virginia Tan
November 27, 2008
i bought this book both to learn, and as a psychological crutch as i found myself seemingly out of my depth laying out my first 900+ page book earlier this summer - it did both jobs nicely, and it's the kind of book worth picking up again and again. i loved the approach of having different designers explain how they do their work, and including samples of it for me to see what they mean.
Not sure if people who don't design books would get much out of it, or people who feel confident and well-experienced in book design, but for those of us learning-as-we-work, i strongly recommend this title.
Not sure if people who don't design books would get much out of it, or people who feel confident and well-experienced in book design, but for those of us learning-as-we-work, i strongly recommend this title.
February 26, 2011
This was a great book on book design and typography. The author, a designer for a major university press, invests the first half in sharing his own experiences and methods in designing books, and the second in dialoguing with other designers about their processes and decisions. It is well-illustrated, with many examples from actual projects and interaction about why they are designed as they are. This is a solid read for anyone involved in typography.
April 1, 2019
As I am currently taking my first typography course, this book was a good introductory reading for book designs. It did a good job of presenting multiple perspectives, and really show us how there are no real set of rules we should focus on, and everything depends on the specific situation. The examples were wonderfully diverse, and even the book itself was analyzed through the design process and the decisions made. It was a wonderful learning experience before I start my zine assignment this week. Can't wait to make zines for the first time.
January 30, 2023
Fale do livro certo na hora certa!
Ótimo livro. Extremamente educativo e útil na pratica cotidiana do Design Editorial. Não só aprendi muito com ele como também o usei como referência para resolver vários problemas práticos.
Não acredito que vá ser muito útil para pessoas fora da industria de produção de livros, contudo é definitivamente essencial para qualquer um que for parte desse magnífico universo que o da produção de livros. 'O Design do Livro' tem meu selo de recomendação.
No mais,
Grande abraço e God bless.
Ótimo livro. Extremamente educativo e útil na pratica cotidiana do Design Editorial. Não só aprendi muito com ele como também o usei como referência para resolver vários problemas práticos.
Não acredito que vá ser muito útil para pessoas fora da industria de produção de livros, contudo é definitivamente essencial para qualquer um que for parte desse magnífico universo que o da produção de livros. 'O Design do Livro' tem meu selo de recomendação.
No mais,
Grande abraço e God bless.
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June 18, 2019Tepatnya, buku teori desain, sebuah kontemplasi yg panjang, mengingat proses me-lay out desain (sebuah buku) kebanyakan di Indonesia, adalah ilmu praksis. Para pemula dihadapkan pada setumpuk naskah, lalu mulai menatanya di depan layar. Tidak ada tetek bengek yg lain, yg penting asik & cocok aja font, separasi & warnanya.
July 16, 2019
A MUST READ BOOK ON BOOK DESIGN!
July 27, 2024
Really, really great book! I have only read a few design books that relate to my ideas about design, this is one. And go figure, they tend to be type books...
January 19, 2019
Uma visão pessoal da atividade de designer de livros, do autor e de outros designers escolhidos por ele. Um passeio pelos modos de fazer e pelas possibilidades da atividade, suas questões e limites.
Uma introdução com personalidade e uma fonte de inspiração no assunto.
Uma observação importante - e que tem tudo a ver com o assunto - é a participação da editora Ateliê. Nota-se a preocupação do editor em manter as características do original - afinal, este é um livro que vale tanto por seu texto quanto por sua materialidade: pode-se dizer que ele é objeto de si mesmo, como o leitor poderá ver.
A leveza do livro (que contradiz a impressão inicial causada por seu volume e dimensões), seu acabamento final e, sobretudo, sua capacidade de "lying open", de ficar aberto encima de uma mesa sem precisar de pesos ou mãos humanas, compensam as pequenas perdas, de detalhes estéticos, aos quais somos remetidos pelo autor.
Uma inspiração para as artes do livro, tanto no discurso quanto na prática.
Uma introdução com personalidade e uma fonte de inspiração no assunto.
Uma observação importante - e que tem tudo a ver com o assunto - é a participação da editora Ateliê. Nota-se a preocupação do editor em manter as características do original - afinal, este é um livro que vale tanto por seu texto quanto por sua materialidade: pode-se dizer que ele é objeto de si mesmo, como o leitor poderá ver.
A leveza do livro (que contradiz a impressão inicial causada por seu volume e dimensões), seu acabamento final e, sobretudo, sua capacidade de "lying open", de ficar aberto encima de uma mesa sem precisar de pesos ou mãos humanas, compensam as pequenas perdas, de detalhes estéticos, aos quais somos remetidos pelo autor.
Uma inspiração para as artes do livro, tanto no discurso quanto na prática.
June 3, 2022
The main text is reasonably articulate and the book’s design coherent (especially compared to Mr Hendel’s 2013
Aspects of Contemporary Book Design
), but the guest contributions are mindless process stories with little insight, and design examples are, almost without fail, flawed in some critical way.
July 4, 2010
A pleasantly humble and curmudgeonly read. Non-dogmatic, Hendel talks about the things that have worked for him, and then brings in a number of other book designers to give their perspectives as well. Recommended.
May 5, 2010
Nerdy, as in very specialized. Helpful because it has so many different voices and styles--when they all say the same thing, it means that's important!
November 2, 2010
This is a good reference, and maybe even a light-at-the-end-of-the-tunnel type reading. It can get a little too detail-oriented without being very informative, if anyone can imagine that.
June 22, 2012
Simply one of the most useful books on this subject.
Displaying 1 - 14 of 14 reviews