Every now and then I find an author who writes so compellingly, I have to read more of what he has written. My current crush is Simon Garfield. I think for Simon, the big draw is the non-fiction subjects of which he writes (letters, maps, the color Mauve).

Just My Type investigates a range of modern mysteries, including how Helvetica took over the world, what inspires the seemingly ubiquitous use of Trajan on bad movie posters, and what makes a font look presidential, male or female, American, British, German, or Jewish. From the typeface of Beatlemania to the graphic vision of the Obama campaign, fonts can signal a musical revolution or the rise of an American president. This book is a must-read for the design conscious that will forever change the way you look at the printed word.