The Shape of the Book
6 x 9 in
Adobe InDesign, Adobe Photoshop
Spring 2025
Publication Design
Book Binding
Photography
An edited excerpt from “The Shape of the Book,” found in a chapter in Alberto Manguel’s A History of Reading, published in 1996, focuses on the history of books using language and imagery. I took photographs from historical books housed in the Rare Book Room at the University of San Francisco, as well as the Gleeson Library. The sixteenth century, in part, was an era of elaborate handwriting manuals, emphasizing the artistry of calligraphy and the significance of handwritten text. To reflect this, I photographed loose-leaf pages and books that highlight the intricacy and craftsmanship of handwritten script across various languages. I structured the text on logical breaks that aligned with my photographic approach, capturing the essence of mid-sixteenth and seventeenth-century books. I chose the historical fonts Baskerville and Gill Sans.