I Have Just Tossed Out an Incomparable Typographical Monstrosity.
I have a library of about 13,000 volumes. I just tossed out my first book because of its type font size. I cannot read it. I bought it through Amazon.
I have been buying books for over 60 years. I have never seen anything this bad.
The Definitive Guide to Google AdWords is unreadable. I would estimate the type font at 8. Normal is 11, or maybe 11.5. My books' footnotes are 9.
I have owned two publishing companies. I have personally typeset books (early 1990s--pre-Windows). I have written over 60 volumes. I know this: if I had been the author, I would have vetoed it. There is no excuse for a monstrosity like this.
A normal trade book is 6x9: 6 inches wide, 9 inches tall. This one is a weird 7.5 inches wide.
So, this tiny type is strewn across abnormally wide pages. Anyone in publishing over the last 500 years has known that our eyes cannot follow this, especially when going back and to the next line down.
The right-hand margins are not justified.
The entire book is not justified.
This is the shabbiest piece of typesetting and book design I have ever seen. It says this: "We got your money. We saved a few cents per book on printing. Tough luck, bozo. You lost."
The designer should be fired. Not reprimanded -- fired. This is not a minor mistake. This book is the product of remarkable incompetence.