The Stroke: Theory of Writing

Regrets? We’ve had a few—like not getting a copy of this book when it was published by Hyphen Press in the early 2000s. And then it was out-of-print and only available for hundreds of dollars—which is crazy. Thankfully, this book is back and puts forward a genuine theory of all writing, with any kind of implement: thus it covers both western and what we call ‘non-western’ writing. Noordzij starts from basic principles, and gives his attention first to the space around the letters: the white space that serves to define and distinguish what any letter is. And that’s just the beginning. This is an essential read and also a model of contemporary bookmaking, set in the not-too-often seen Ruse face designed by the author. Don’t miss out on this one.