Looking for books to learn calligraphy and hand lettering? You’re in the right place!

I’m often asked to recommend books on various lettering topics – from modern calligraphy to historical penmanship – so today I’ve compiled my all-time favorites. This list of 46 books is divided between six categories, so you can browse books for studying pointed pen calligraphy, vintage hand lettering, and typography fundamentals. As a bonus, I’ve included four books on creative freelancing, to help you turn your lettering hobby into a successful business.

I myself am the author of multiple books for learning modern calligraphy, lettering, and cursive handwriting. While I’ve included some of my books in this list, I believe that a calligrapher’s library should include books from a variety of artists and designers, showcasing different styles and historical trends.

Jump to a section:

Calligraphy How-To Guides
Historical Penmanship and Exemplar Books
Cursive Handwriting Guides
Lettering Books for Inspiration
Typography and Logo Design Books
Calligraphy Freelancing Guides

These are my favorite books for learning pointed pen calligraphy. My list includes a range of dip pen calligraphy styles, from modern alphabets to traditional ones, like Copperplate and Spencerian. I’ve also included books that teach calligraphic drawing, mainly of animal flourishes. The last three on the list are great for project-based learning, with lots of ideas for calligraphy gifts and décor.

Whenever I’m feeling in a creative rut, I turn to historical type exemplar books like these. They never fail to get me excited to break out my calligraphy pens, and I manage to learn something new every time. For tips on where to find historical lettering inspiration online, check out my blog post Where I Go for Calligraphy & Lettering Inspiration.

Even though cursive handwriting and script calligraphy have a lot of overlap, cursive books still deserve a list of their own. These workbooks are aimed at improving your everyday handwriting and don’t require any special writing tools. You can either writing directly on the workbook pages inside these books, or use tracing paper to practice each exercise. For that, you may find my list of Favorite Practice Papers helpful!

From historic letterpress type to Italian sign painting, the amount of drool-worthy lettering inspiration inside these books is impossible to overstate. I can spend hours poring over each and every one. These are books worthy of a place on your coffee table – you won’t want to keep them hidden on a shelf! (They also make the perfect gift for a type nerd, including yourself.)

A strong understanding of letter anatomy and composition are crucial for any type designer, whether you specialize in hand-drawn letters or digital fonts. These books are my favorite deep-dives into letterforms and layout design. Each one changed the way I see type.

These guides will help you understand pricing, marketing, contracts, and best practices for a successful freelance lettering business.