SFPL Holiday Lecture

[Asa Peavy <asap@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

                        Musings on the Vernacular

Folk lettering from the wretched to the sublime is the subject of Alastair
Johnston's talk this year. For years he has photographed signage--professional
and home-made--from the first to the third world that shows a range of expres-
sion, if not always care, with the shapes of the letters. Aware that many
typographic innovations have come from this sector, he is always eager to plot
new developments and notices strong connections between graffiti and black-
letter or the application of decoration to display letters.

Johnston is a partner in Berkeley's Poltroon Press. He lectures and publishes
widely on typographic topics. His latest work is a translation of Pierre Bearn's
novel _The Beast_.

The Annual Holiday Lecture will be given Thursday, December 11, 7:00 to 8:00
p.m., in the Koret Auditorium, Lower Level, San Francisco Public Library, Civic
Center. For more information, please contact the Book Arts and Special
Collections Center at 415.557.4560.

Sponsored by the Book Arts and Special Collections Center and the Friends of
the San Francisco Public Library.