This Will Blow Your Mind

I read every book cover to cover. Really cover to cover. I read all the acknowledgments. If authors took the time to write them, then readers should take the time to read them, right? I read the copyright page from top to bottom.

One of the weirdest things I do when I read, which I'm pretty sure most people don't think of, is read what kind of font the text of the book is set in. It's not always written. I think Penguin Group doesn't put down the font (yeah, I am just that obsessive about it).* But the reason I look to see what font is used is because it often seems to be some sort of inside joke for clever readers who bother to look.

Fun facts:

Percy Jackson and the Olympians, a book series with Greek mythology, is set in Centaur font.

The Kings Are Already Here, a book about analyzing what you want in life, is set in Filosofia font.

Stay With Me, a book with lots of references to foreign cities, is set in Venetian.

Eat Pray Love, with settings in Italy, India, and Bali, is set in Italian Garamond.

Cybele's Secret, a book that takes place in Istanbul, is set in Antiqua Turkish.

Of course, lots of books don't have cool, metaphoric fonts, but I still like seeing what they are (Time Traveler's Wife is set in Minion font; Her Fearful Symmetry does not have a font listed). Plus, it makes you feel somehow accomplished when you come across a book that DOES have cool, metaphoric fonts.

Now, I'm letting you into this secret so you can feel included in the inside joke as well. Go look inside your favorite books and see what the font is!

*No, it is just very rare for Penguin Group books to have the font listed. I have noticed Simon & Schuster seems to be the best bet.

**I am almost certainly reading too deeply into this. I am like a conspiracy theorist.