‘The visitor who pushes through the front door, which sticks, and climbs the narrow staircase, is warmly welcomed by a friendly and highly-professional team.’ Photo: Book cover of Style or Not to Style, That is the Question: A story of the book, by Gaia Vince
Style or Not to Style, That is the Question: A story of the book, by Gaia Vince
Author: Gaia Vince. Review by Martin Dickinson.
This short (ninety-page) book is imaginatively and clearly presented. It tells the story of the printed word, from the earliest of times until the present day.
In particular, it tells the story of the printed word in York – and who better to tell the story than Michael Sessions, a director of Quacks Books (which also produced this book). Sessions and his family have played a long and distinguished part in the history of printing in York, and this example of Quakers in business continues today. Quacks Books, at 7 Grape Lane, Petergate – an historic address at the heart of historic York – is thriving, and the visitor who pushes through the front door, which sticks, and climbs the narrow staircase, is warmly welcomed by a friendly and highly-professional team, which works hard to meet the customer’s needs.
As the author makes clear, the work of the Sessions family also continues in the wide-ranging work of the Sessions Book Trust, which was founded in 1967. The trust has encouraged, through its grants, the publication of a wide range of books. Without this support these works might never have seen the light of day.
In this particular publication, the chapter headings give an idea of the ambitious range of Michael’s book. They cover subjects such as: early writing materials; the story of printing; the work of the printer; ink; moveable type to computer graphics; good page design; and the next five hundred years. All this is dealt with in an accessible, if necessarily brief, way. Quacks has set a good example, with effective layout, good illustrations (I would have liked a few more labels) and imaginative use of the Baskerville font. On that latter subject, Michael makes an impassioned case for this serif typeface, and would dearly like Microsoft to follow his advice. Tips on how to change the default Microsoft Outlook typeface are given.
Style or Not to Style, That is the Question is an expanded version of a similar book of the same title, which Michael published in 2010. This time round, French wraps give the book a more permanent feel. It deserves success as a quick and highly-enjoyable introduction to the printed word, and the part it plays in our lives.
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