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Alphabet

Allan Haley

1995127 pagesabout 2–3 hours
1995
first published
  • 1998Diane Pub Co · 127 pages · ENGISBN 9780788156465
  • 1995Pub Overstock Unlimited Inc · 127 pages · ENGISBN 9780823001705

In Alphabet, noted author and typographer Allan Haley presents a lively overview of the history and graphic evolution of the Latin alphabet. Within the context of how ancient writing systems dramatically influenced the societies that conceived and adopted them, Haley examines the development of each character from a simple image representing a word or concept to an elegant graphic symbol signifying an individual sound. Haley then explores how the expressive wealth of contemporary type design reflects the complex history of each letterform. Fascinating accounts of the design development of the ampersand, the Arabic numerals, and punctuation are also included.

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