Erik Spiekermann
The Other Collection / 4th Edition / 2022 / 240 pp
‘Anyone who would letterspace lower case would steal sheep’, a bowdlerised version of a remark made by the type designer Frederic Goudy, inspires the book’s title. As in the three previous editions, themed chapters are made up of spreads each of which is a short, illustrated essay on an aspect of visual communication. The latest version includes more typefaces, and is brought up to date with an expanded discussion of type on screen, and a new chapter on variable fonts. Jargon is avoided where it can be, and gently explained where it can’t. The book would be valuable to any student of design (even in disciplines beyond graphic arts) and to experienced designers whose range doesn’t match that of Spiekermann’s practice – from small letterpress jobs, through books, magazines, type and product design, to corporate branding and city-wide public transit systems – which is to say, almost everyone in the business. Google Fonts have made the book available for free as a PDF, but it is essentially a handbook, and the print edition is its happiest manifestation.
¶ The print edition of Stop Stealing Sheep is available from p98a Berlin. The PDF has been made available for download by Google Fonts.