Authors in Type

This unique collection of typewritten portraits is a stunning visual tribute to some of the world's most iconic contributors to literature, told in ink, one keystroke at a time. James Cook is a young artist who creates portraits—but not with brushes or pencils. Instead, he uses a typewriter. Each drawing is meticulously hand-typed, keystroke-by-keystroke, from thousands of letters, numbers, and punctuation marks. Specially commissioned for this book are 50 of Cook's astounding portraits of beloved authors, poets, and playwrights—including Jane Austen, Louisa May Alcott, Paul Laurence Dunbar, Charles Dickens, Stephen King, Arundhati Roy, William Shakespeare, and Virginia Woolf. Many of his portraits conceal a typewritten message, such as the names of the author’s most significant works, in addition to hidden facts and insightful reflections for viewers to discover. Also included are mini biographies of each author, a description of the typewriters used for each portrait and why, and a time-lapse sequence showing how Cook creates a portrait.