After an anecdotal foreword by Sumner Stone, Legum introduces the ten most common mistakes made in workbook design and briefly proposes a solution for each. Legum then communicates layout design methods by way of example. A series of ten layout templates serves as the platform for sensitizing the reader to the application of fundamentals discussed along the way. Moreover, each template is accompanied by tightly integrated illustrations and notes touching upon larger concepts: the golden section, ISO, and organic proportion.

Side notes for cited works have been thoughtfully provided throughout the book. Each section is divided by a heavier cover stock page, making it quick to find a particular area. Appendix B offers pointers on creating book covers. The Design of Workbooks is elegantly set using the Stone family of fonts and Appendix C contains contact info and a presentation of the Stone Type Foundry’s offerings in the form of limited character set displays.

The Design of Workbooks is at once approachable and practical, a utilitarian book that should prove useful to those who must design this kind of publication, so ubiquitous in large organizations. It’s available from the author by itself for US$29.95, or with a set of floppy disks (Mac or PC) which includes the templates presented in the book (in PageMaker file format), and eight Stone family fonts for US$159.00.

—Delve Withrington