The best typography books

Typography is an art form – whether you’re a type designer by trade, or a graphic designer using type, you can’t just wing it. But the internet is full of contradictory lists on the best typography books, and it’s near-impossible to read them all (not to mention expensive), so we’ve gathered our shortlist to help you decide.

Enjoy a mixture of popular classics and up-and-coming font design books loved by the industry. There’s also something for every price point and, if you’re on a budget, don’t forget about the wide range of free fonts for designers.

If you do decide to take things further and make type design a big part of your career, this reading list is just the beginning, and you should also bookmark our pick of the best typography courses.

It's currently Typography Week here at Creative Bloq, in association with Monotype. Check out our dedicated page to find out more.

The Elements of Typographic Style - Robert Bringhurst

The best typography book overall

If you’ve only got time and money for one typography book, we suggest Bringhurst’s, now in its fourth edition but not easily found on the high street.

Type design legend Hermann Zapf called it ‘the Typographers’ Bible’. Though far from a quick read and totally monochrome, it’s still one to treasure.

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