Category Archives: Publishing

From Mods to Mecca

Posted on October 25, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

Nostalgia has always been big business. Look how the Victorians ached for a romantic gothic past and the Edwardians for a rapidly disappearing bucolic world with the arts and crafts revival. To find my own past the subject of a … Continue reading →

Posted in music, Publishing, religion, sacred knowledge, tassawuf, Uncategorized | 6 Comments

Translation, Lost and Found

Posted on May 2, 2013 by Ian Whiteman

Above: A page from an as yet unpublished edition of the Shama’il of Tirmidhi. Part One Although my work is principally typesetting books, something previously done by men in inky overalls composing metal type, I do actually read some of … Continue reading →

Posted in architectural, language, miscellaneous, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 1 Comment

The Vanishing Sign Writer

Posted on August 27, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Much as I have championed skilful type design I am also saddened that the type font has virtually wiped out the sign writer’s craft. Hand lettering on shops, vans and on sign posts and name plates has all but disappeared … Continue reading →

Posted in language, Publishing, typography / design, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | 5 Comments

Flight from the Actual

Posted on July 20, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

I am one of the many who embraced each new technology as it presented itself over the last 50 years. It included multi-track analogue audio recording and phototypesetting in the 1960s, digital audio recording, digital cameras and mobile phones in … Continue reading →

Posted in miscellaneous, music, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 1 Comment

Ancient Prophets of Arabia

Posted on April 21, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Following my tradition of announcing books I have worked on, here is a big one. Dr. Mostafa Badawi, (a medical doctor of Egyptian origin), practices as a psychiatrist in a hospital in Medina and is hidden away in that wonderful … Continue reading →

Posted in architectural, language, miscellaneous, music, Publishing, religion, typography / design | 4 Comments

A Brief History of Transliteration

Posted on April 1, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

Language is powerful; and its written word is like a weapon which when launched out into the world enlivens or maims. As cultures and civilisations have moved and evolved through history, the way they have chosen to write their language … Continue reading →

Posted in language, miscellaneous, Publishing, typography / design, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Meccan Rebellion

Posted on March 22, 2012 by Ian Whiteman

A new book, The Meccan Rebellion, by Thomas Hegghamer and Stephane Lacroix  has just been published by Amal Press, Bristol, and typeset by yours truly (not the cover I should add) and is now on sale. To quote some of the blurbs: … Continue reading →

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