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Robert Bringhurst
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The Elements of Typographic Style: Version 4.0: 20th Anniversary Edition Paperback – Illustrated, January 15, 2013

by Robert Bringhurst (Author)
4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 400 ratings
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Renowned typographer and poet Robert Bringhurst brings clarity to the art of typography with this masterful style guide. Combining the practical, theoretical, and historical, this edition is completely updated, with a thorough revision and updating of the longest chapter, "Prowling the Specimen Books," and many other small but important updates based on things that are continually changing in the field.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    382 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Hartley and Marks Publishers
  4. Publication date
    January 15, 2013
  5. Dimensions
    5.3 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780881792126
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0881792126
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"A classic in the field." — Library Journal

About the Author

Robert Bringhurst is a poet, typographer, linguist, critic, designer, translator, teacher, and cultural historian. He has published more than thirty books, eighteen of them books of poetry. His book, The Black Canoe, a study of Bill Reid’s sculpture, is a classic of Native American art history and his book The Elements of Typographic Style is considered the “bible” for typographers the world over. In Canada, Bringhurst is best known for his groundbreaking study of Native Canadian oral literature, A Story As Sharp as a Knife: The Classical Haida Mythtellers and Their World (1999), a work that startled many readers and sparked intense academic and public debate. Two volumes of translation from classical Haida complete the trilogy: Nine Visits to the Mythworld and Being In Being. In 2004, the trilogy earned Bringhurst the Edward Sapir Prize, awarded by the Society for Linguistic Anthropology. Among his more recent books of poetry is Ursa Major (2003), a multilingual work in which characters tell simultaneous stories in English, Latin, Greek, and Cree.

Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Robert Bringhurst was brought to Canada at the age of five, raised largely in Alberta, and has lived and worked in British Columbia since 1973. He currently lives near Heriot Bay on Quadra Island.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0881792128
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Hartley and Marks Publishers; Fourth edition (January 15, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 382 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780881792126
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0881792126
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.25 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.3 x 0.9 x 9.1 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.7 4.7 out of 5 stars 400 ratings

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Robert Bringhurst

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Customer reviews

4.7 out of 5 stars
4.7 out of 5
400 global ratings
They call it "Elements" for a good reason.
5 Stars
They call it "Elements" for a good reason.
This book is really informative for those getting into the typographic business, demonstrating good ettiquette in the myriad niceties involved (even in the matter of page size and layout). There's also a handy index for extended characters for type designers, especially the Cyrillic italics which can be obtuse for those used to Latin regularity. The only downside is that it's a bit dated in the face of new font technology. Otherwise, definitely a must-have for graphic designers!
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Top reviews from the United States

the-librarian
5.0 out of 5 stars The only book you will ever need on typography!
Reviewed in the United States on October 19, 2019
Verified Purchase
This is an absolutely fantastic book about the history and practice of typography. I love it so much this is the second copy I’ve purchased so I can have one at home and one in my office at work. It is well-written, fascinating, well-researched, and offers deep insights into improving the typography and readability of any document you create.

Using the techniques outlined in this book I have been able to create professional documents that are more persuasive in a business setting because they look nice and are easy to read. After reading this book you will begin to notice the impact of typography all around you and take notice of how you can make better documents.
13 people found this helpful
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Stu Smith
5.0 out of 5 stars Quintessential
Reviewed in the United States on September 3, 2016
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My first copy had some ink smudges on a few pages, but Amazon replaced it. First, believe the hype. This book is a work of art, science, and history. It is not for the novice home schooled designer. It covered exactly the fundamentals, trade knowledge and examples I wanted to learn. I can confirm that this is the quintessential book on typography every designer must have to understand the full scope of typography, type faces, and fonts—and how to properly apply them to print and digital materials professionally with meaning and purpose.
One person found this helpful
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Piera Pagnacco
5.0 out of 5 stars a true typography bible
Reviewed in the United States on December 14, 2023
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pity the editor has discontinued the other book in their "eternal" catalog...
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Vijay Rathinasamy
5.0 out of 5 stars They call it "Elements" for a good reason.
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2018
Verified Purchase
This book is really informative for those getting into the typographic business, demonstrating good ettiquette in the myriad niceties involved (even in the matter of page size and layout). There's also a handy index for extended characters for type designers, especially the Cyrillic italics which can be obtuse for those used to Latin regularity. The only downside is that it's a bit dated in the face of new font technology. Otherwise, definitely a must-have for graphic designers!
Customer image
Vijay Rathinasamy
5.0 out of 5 stars They call it "Elements" for a good reason.
Reviewed in the United States on August 23, 2018
This book is really informative for those getting into the typographic business, demonstrating good ettiquette in the myriad niceties involved (even in the matter of page size and layout). There's also a handy index for extended characters for type designers, especially the Cyrillic italics which can be obtuse for those used to Latin regularity. The only downside is that it's a bit dated in the face of new font technology. Otherwise, definitely a must-have for graphic designers!
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5 people found this helpful
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Dream Beast
5.0 out of 5 stars Beautiful
Reviewed in the United States on October 18, 2013
Verified Purchase
One would expect a book on typography to be beautiful, but The Elements of Typographic Style exceeds those expectations. I love leafing through this book as much as reading it. Every page is elegant. The paper feels good. And the author truly is a poet whose prose makes the technical aspects of typography approachable. He writes:

"Typography is the craft of endowing human language with a durable visual form, and thus with an independent existence. Its heartwood is calligraphy--the dance, on a tiny stage, of the living, speaking hand--and its roots reach into living soil, though its branches may be hung each year with new machines."

An illuminating book.
26 people found this helpful
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Liam A.
4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Okay for a 2nd Hand Book
Reviewed in the United States on September 1, 2021
Verified Purchase
Book looks fine. The cover just has a slight bend and it has a dinged corner on the the top right of the front cover. Would give it 5-stars if the ding was on the back.
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David Irving
5.0 out of 5 stars I liked Elements enough that when I noticed the forthcoming title
Reviewed in the United States on April 25, 2016
Verified Purchase
This is a book that really helped pique my interest in typography back when the first edition was published. I was actually looking to buy Bringhurst's forthcoming book about Palatino, but did not find it on the Amazon site. This was a first for me. Not finding anything on Amazon. I was able to order the Bringhurst book directly from the Book Club of California. I liked Elements enough that when I noticed the forthcoming title, I looked to buy it. Robert Bringhurst is also a published poet, by the way. I find that writers with strong backgrounds in poetry tend to write well and seem to love words and type as much as I do. I bought this 20th anniversary edition to back up my wearing out early edition.
3 people found this helpful
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Nick M.
5.0 out of 5 stars The one typography book to own
Reviewed in the United States on April 27, 2013
Verified Purchase
Far and away the most intelligent, knowledgeable, well-written, and beautifully designed guide for anyone interested in the history of type and the design of books with extensive text. (Not a guide to graphic design. No splashy color pages with text in 8 point sans.) A great reference book on page design, layout, and type choices. Excellent glossary of characters and terms.
13 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

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MT
5.0 out of 5 stars Pflichtlektüre
Reviewed in Germany on April 1, 2023
Verified Purchase
Wenn man nur ein Buch über Typografie lesen möchte – dann dieses.
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Martin Krzywinski
5.0 out of 5 stars The only typography book you need.
Reviewed in Canada on December 25, 2020
Verified Purchase
This is the most perfect book about typography. It approaches letters from a historical and impassioned perspective -- the author is also a poet.

Section headers are heart-felt imperatives, such as "1.1.2 Letters have a life and dignity of their own".

The book answers typical questions like font pairing and text layout in the context of fundamental concepts of the geometry of letters and the page. Chapter 8 is perhaps the most fascinating -- "Shaping the Page" -- in which Bringhurst compares proportions of the page to musical scales.

If you wish to ascend beyond "font nazi" to "type lover and geek" this is the book for you.

You can pry my copy from my cold dead hands.
2 people found this helpful
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Alexandra H.
5.0 out of 5 stars util y bello
Reviewed in Mexico on November 28, 2018
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el diseño editorial es hermoso
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Amazon Customer
5.0 out of 5 stars Not for the faint hearted (in terms of typography)
Reviewed in India on December 30, 2018
Verified Purchase
If you think you are super confident with the basics of typography, only then should you go for this book, or else this book can blow you up. The depth of the content is kind blowing. And it's a very very slow read, as it may take a while to digest every page. But it's worth it.
2 people found this helpful
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f0ster
5.0 out of 5 stars Just Wow.
Reviewed in France on April 8, 2016
Verified Purchase
As a french student in design, I was hoping to find a reliable source of knowledge about typography and what was my surprise when I read this masterpiece. As i'm not a great reader, this book is very pleasant to read and easily understandable for everyone.I can now affirm that this book is a must have if you tend to use even a bit of typos in your work.
5 people found this helpful
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