Take a visual trip around the United States, with stop-offs in many locations and insights on every page, and illuminate the past and future of American calligraphy.

For centuries, American calligraphers have accepted the legacy of the classic Roman, Gothic, and Italic calligraphy they inherited from Europe without realizing that there are more alphabet treasures to be found in a larger pool of uniquely American alphabet designs. Wild West, New Deal, Prairie, Avant Garde, Cholo, Goth, Palmer--all were made in America, and they express ideas that reveal national character. These styles come from here and nowhere else. Much like American music, language, fashion, and philosophy, calligraphy has matured, moved on from its origins, and become, in the words of the man who created Spencerian handwriting, "even more American."

Learn American Calligraphy is the latest book from Margaret Shepherd, author of one of the all-time bestselling books on calligraphy, Learn Calligraphy. This new book focuses on American calligraphy, which has its own identity, distinct from the alphabets inherited from Europe. As a lifelong calligrapher, Shepherd surveys the landscape of unique styles and describes how two dozen alphabets originated and what shaped them. Simple diagrams and exercises help you try out the styles for yourself. Some letters represent a region or a major era of art; some bear witness to social upheaval or culture change; many are accessible to beginners; and a few contradict the established view of American history.
About the Author: Margaret Shepherd is a well-known calligrapher and author, whose many books have helped make calligraphy accessible to a large public worldwide. She has researched, taught, written, freelanced, and exhibited extensively. She lives in Boston, where she created the Boston Calligraphy Trail. Ms. Shepherd's 45-year career has ranged from lettering thousands of MIT diplomas to restoring the ceiling inscriptions in classical Greek at Boston College. Ms. Shepherd's 45-year career has ranged from lettering thousands of MIT diplomas to restoring the ceiling inscriptions in classical Greek at Boston College. Her design work includes creating a signature logo for Chef Jacques Pepin. Ms. Shepherd's expertise was called upon in the creation and design of a calligraphy preservation spray. Her books have been translated into Spanish, Russian, and Romanian. Learn American Calligraphy is her twentieth book. Through reviews and interviews, Ms. Shepherd has discussed many aspects of calligraphy and correspondence for the BBC, CBS Sunday Morning, National Public Radio, Newsweek, The Economist, Kiplinger Personal Finance, and the New York Times. margaretshepherd.com