By American do you mean Merkan, or the whole continent, N and S, or part therof?

Sorry, USA.

> the best living american typographer

What is best?

By “typographers” do you mean type makers or type users?

okay, i’ll give you a little more history:

i am working on a client who has requested that his book be set in a ’new’ typeface, something made since 1980; for his last book, he used a face from a young dutch designer, and now is interested in working with an american typographer’s work.

the ’best’ is, of course, a matter of taste, but i was thinking someone on the level on hoefler

and, yes, it needs to be a type-designer, not a type-user

Christian Schwartz comes to mind.

ChrisL

Matthew Carter, David Berlow

Mark Simonson
James Montalbano

“Born in London in 1937, Carter was introduced to type by the work of his father”

I know Mathew lives in the U.S. now so I don’t know what your client calls “American”.

ChrisL

http://www.designmuseum.org/design/index.php?id=123