Today, I would like to introduce “Table of Characters,” written by Kyoko Masaki.
This is a collection of essays in which the full flavor of typesetting and typeface mainly experienced by the author is written about, along with her memories. The uniqueness of this book is that each typeface is introduced with an analogy related to food. For the explanation of each typeface, examples such as books, magazines, manga, etc., are printed along with the creation background of the typeface, so it can also be read and enjoyed as a sample book of typefaces.
I think it is quite difficult to convey the impressions of typefaces in words. However, due to the author’s observations of typefaces through her rich sensibilities and the explanation with easy-to-understand analogies related to food, such as “freshly cooked rice,” “caramel,” “coffee,” etc., the book can be read sensually without having to think about anything difficult. Among the 39 typefaces introduced in the book, I found some typefaces I’ve seen in places before and related with the author’s sensibilities or found I had opinions of my own, and continued reading the book thinking about the time I first saw that typeface. This book is recommended for those who like reading and have a lot of contact with text, in particular.
Book Information:
“Table of Characters”
Author: Kyoko Masaki
Publisher: Honnozasshisha
Purchase Information:
http://www.webdoku.jp/kanko/page/4860112474.html
(KT)
Series archive Recommended Book / Book of the Month
- Book of the Month (April 2025): “Table of Characters”
- Book of the Month (March 2025): “A Compilation of Contemporary Letter Designs”
- Book of the Month (November 2024): “There are Characters”
- Book of the Month (October 2024): “Man and Writing”
- Book of the Month (June 2024): “New Design Guide: Design of Japanese Language”
- Book of the Month (April 2024): “Mincho Type: Its Origin and Formation”
- Book of the Month (February 2024): “Stroll with Typography: Observation of Characters on the Road”
- Book of the Month (September 2023): “Shintaro Ajioka’s Typeface Course”
- Book of the Month (July 2023): “Men Who are Possessed by the Type”
- Book of the Month (February 2023) : “The Visual History of Type”
- Book of the Month (December 2022) : “Reading Letters”
- Book of the Month (October 2022): “SANS SERIF”
- Book of the Month (June 2022): “’Typeface’ is Created”
- Book of the Month (March 2022): “Size-specific adjustments to type designs”
- Book of the Month (December 2021): “The Field Guide to Typography: Typefaces in the Urban Landscape”
- Book of the Month (November 2021): “Designing Type”
- Book of the Month (October 2021): “Writing Vertically Creates the Scenery of Words – Why Do We Need Two Japanese Writings in Vertical and Horizontal?”
- Book of the Month (September 2021): “Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana – History of Japanese Notation”
- Book of the Month (August 2021): “Scripts: Elegant Lettering from Design’s Golden Age”