Hi!

I'm new to the forum, but look forward to participating in it. I really like the design and way it functions - very different to other boards! :)

I'd like to ask about books for novices. I see it's been covered before, but some of the books I mention below (all found on Amazon.com) are relatively new. Does anyone have any advice as to which of these books (or any others) one should or shouldn't go for? I'm open to getting more than one (though obviously not too many :)).

I'm interested in type as it is used today - in advertising, book/magazine/document layout, digitally (on-screen documents, websites, etc.), as an art-form on it's own. I'm also interested in the history of type, but I'm really looking for a book that offers practical advice on layout and type use. I'm very interested in design in general, so I'm also open to books that cover type as a part/chapter.

I've enjoyed reading "The Rules of Typography" and other articles on The Font Site (www. fontsite.com), so a book would similar advice would be nice (if that's recommended).

The books I've found are:

Typography
by Friedrich Friedl

Typography Workbook: A Real-World Guide to Using Type in Graphic Design
by Timothy Samara

Typography: Macro- and Microaesthetics
by Willi Kunz

Type & Typography
by Phil Baines and Andrew Haslam

Thinking with Type : A Critical Guide for Designers, Writers, Editors, and Students (Design Briefs)
by Ellen Lupton

The Elements of Typographic Style
by Robert Bringhurst

The Complete Manual of Typography
by James Felici

Stop Stealing Sheep & Find Out How Type Works, Second Edition
by Erik Spiekermann and E.M Ginger

Making and Breaking the Grid: A Graphic Design Layout Workshop
by Timothy Samara

A final note: all the books look interesting, but (a) it's difficult to judge them when you can't flip through them and see what they contain, and (b) I have no idea about the credibility of the authors.

Any advice would be most appreciated. I apologise for the long post - particularly seeing as it's my first! :)