MeetCute

Lettering & Type: Creating Letters and Designing Typefaces by Bruce 
Willen and Nolen Strals; Euro Deco: Graphic Design Between the Wars 
 by Steven Heller and Louise Fili; Logo, Font, & Lettering Bible  
by Leslie Cabarga

You are what you read (and ogle). And if you're interested in learning about typography and hand lettering, you might consider this route. I stalked a few good type designers like Jessica Hische and Dana Tanamachi, and I learned about their experiences and work, and got a good idea of what was on their reading list. Jessica Hische, perhaps one of my favorite hand letterers, was a student of the aaaa-mazing Louise Fili. A self-dubbed "serious over sharer" she gives refreshing advice to those interested in hand lettering in her FAQ interview. She also recommends purchasing Euro Deco, co-authored by Louise Fili herself. It gives you a great reference for art deco typesetting and also looks great on a coffee table. Another one of my favorite designers is Dana Tanamachi, the chalkboard lettering enthusiast from Brooklyn, who seems to have also followed Jessica's footsteps and now works at Louise Fili. (This must be the place to be! I admit, when I first explored their website, I must have squeal with delight at least a 100 times. Oh Louise...)

Anyway, back to the point at hand. In addition to Euro Deco, I purchased two other type books and am working my way through them. Lettering & Type: Creating Letters and Designing Typefaces by Bruce Willen and Nolen Strals provides readers with a good history of typography and the historical and cultural changes that have influenced type over centuries. Leslie Cabarga's Logo, Font, & Lettering Bible gives type examples and practical advice for creating your own typefaces. 

Reading provides the basis of knowledge, and on a note from Confucius, I'll sign off...

“No matter how busy you may think you are, you must find time for reading, or surrender yourself to self-chosen ignorance.”