Letters of Credit

Library Bookwatch, March, 2005

Letters Of Credit

Walter Tracy

David R. Godine

PO Box 450, Jaffrey, NH 03452

www.godine.com

1567922406 $19.95 1-800-344-4771

Typesetting has evolved from a hands-on metalworking skill to one generated by photos and computers--and the changing methods shows no signs of stability. Walter Tracy's Letters Of Credit: A View Of Type Design traces the movement from hot metal production to computers, arguing the letter forms themselves are always in a state of flux, no matter what their delivery system. Tracy has fifty years of professional experience as head of type design: his analysis criticizes type-design aesthetics and identifies common elements of hype and misinformation in the industry.