There is no doubt that typography has entered the cultural mainstream and become a commodity, but we shouldn't forget the utilitarian letterforms that surround us: signage. We walk past them every day, possibly not even noticing them, but they are part of our lives and the history of whatever city we happen to live in. Typographic signs, some dating back nearly a century, some brand new, all have stories to tell. The author has meticulously researched this exuberant collection of quirky, poignant and often funny stories about signage, typography and design. Tantilising topics include... The darker side of the QANTAS logo; The Shell sign that inspired illegal gambling and had to be removed; The theatre production inspired by the Telecom logo; A burnt fuse on a neon sign led to the discovery of over 100 musical instruments from WW2. Addressing design, architecture, advertising, cultural history and much more, rather than presenting the new, Characters offers a new way of looking at the familiar. Lavishly illustrated, it is a unique approach that powerfully shows how typography is a very rich form of cultural expression. The author redefines the way we look at our surroundings and after reading this book you will never walk down the street the same way again.