In the chapter, the author brings the necessity for understanding type to the fore. She tells the reader that there are formal systems that need to be observed, and that how type makes something look is an important part of typography. She also brings in figure-ground relations to show that the systems can be layered.
Crisp then talks about letter forms and their variations. The importance of letter spacing, identifying marks (for letters like i), and the boldness of the typeface. Using many examples of certain families variations, she brings home the need to understand the subtle variations in each letter form.
In the last section, Crisp states that style creates voice. The style of the typeface is crucial to establishing the style and voice of whatever is being advertised. Professional flyers for a law firm would be less effective if they were to use Comic Sans rather than a typeface such as BakerSignet BT.
