Non-Designer’s Type Book, The, Second Edition

Readability and Legibility

In which we come to understand what makes type readable or legible, and how to improve the readability or legibility of typefaces in various situations.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO CONTEND that culture alone dictates our reading preferences, and that readability is based not upon the intrinsic forms of the characters, but upon what we are accustomed to reading. Often cited as “proof” of this is the German preference for blackletter that continued centuries after the rest of the world had moved on to more sensible typefaces. Without proposing any scientific studies, I venture to suggest that just because someone prefers a particular typeface does not mean it is more readable. Your grandmother, I am sure, preferred that you ...