Alessio Leonardi Book order

One summer's day in 1886, the publisher of the New York Herald suddenly "Ottmar, you have cast A Line Of Type!" The "line" in question was a hot metal slug that had been produced by a brand new machine called The Blower. This hissing apparatus, which scooped its type from a boiling pot of lead, was the latest in an endless series of attempts to set type mechanically - and the first one that worked. After that memorable afternoon in 1886, the machine would be called "Linotype." Its inventor, a German emigre named Ottmar Mergenthaler, has been recognized as one of the genius inventors of the 19th century.

The Italo-German designer, Alessio Leonardi, will present his first book at a lecture at the Typo Berlin 2004. The subject of this work is the history of writing and it is told in an unusual from the point of view of God, science and the author himself.Richly illustrated (approx. 200 pictures) and written with real Italo-German humour, the book is sure to become a classic in the world of typography. And the reason for this is “Everything is possible, even typography is fun!”(as quoted by Prof. Erik Spiekermann who kindly wrote the foreword.)