Long the preserve of trained specialists alone, typography is now a territory open to everyone equipped with a computer. For millions, the ability to produce effective printed documents has lately become, like effective speaking and writing, an essential professional skill and an important source of personal satisfaction. Far more than a style guide, this book is a brief history of typographic art; a compact encyclopedia of typographic symbols, concepts and traditions; and a tour of the technologies employed, old and new. In all, it is a thoughtful and insightful desktop reference for everyone who works with written words. To writers, this book offers a whole new set of skills and tools for effective expression and communication. To readers, it offers a new dimension of reading: a deeper appreciation of letters and a deeper understanding of what they mean.--From publisher description.