[Hitch]

Hey, Dudes and Lovely Ladies:

Okey-doke. I've found, over the past 7 years as the Great High Doyenne of my biz, that I've had to learn more about fonts (kinda, which is the point here) than I ever hoped to know. But what I've learned is mostly...push-button stuff. In other words, if font A doesn't work at the KDP, I simply try font B, after some efforts with A. I know that, for example, some fonts don't work at the KDP. Not even their "clones" or faux-versions. Like Papyrus. (urgh). I know that if we're going to have trouble, it will most likely be an Adobe Foundry font--but I don't know WHY.

BUT, I don't really understand fonts. I have a moderate grasp of typography, mostly from Bringhurst, but fonts, themselves? Not so much. I'm weird that way--I don't want to just push buttons; I want to understand what I'm doing when I push a button.

I just purchased Suitcase Fusion 6. I'd been using Typograf, pretty happily, but it had some glitches or weird methods of operating that I wasn't crazy about. Or, possibly, it was intended for people who already know positively everything about fonts. My straw was, I couldn't get the bloody thing to print a font-samples list, from all the fonts in Typograf, to save my life. I reached out to Alexander Neuber, the developer, but he didn't have any real help for me. As Typograf is a paid program...well. No point kicking a dead mule.

So: I'm seeking books on fonts. I have Bringhurst, and I have Stop Stealing Sheep. But I'd like something more down in the nitty-gritty, that will explain all the realities behind Type1, otf, ttf, etc., how to manipulate fonts, font alteration or design, and so on.

Suggestions?

Best,
Hitch