The Lost Art of Handwriting: Rediscover the Beauty and Power of Penmanship

It should be noted that I already have a background in penmanship (non-professional) and recently completed some business hand and Spencerian and currently practicing ornamental penmanship and picked this book to enhance my general handwriting skills and pick up some new flourishing work that would allow me to do so. My picture is literally the first practice/warm up exercise, I really the crossbar’s and this book will bring my writing to the next level. Happy with the purchase.

Very comprehensive and engaging The author mixed a lot of facts and interesting tidbits to improve writing and mental wellbeing

I have purchased three copies of this book and here's why: I am an amateur letterer / chalkboard artist that is (mostly) self-taught, aside from a few pdf worksheets I downloaded off of Etsy or whatever. I follow a TON of lettering accounts on Instagram to try and learn new methods / styles, and Brenna's style has always been one of my absolute favorites!! So when she announced she'd be releasing a book this past January, I couldn't slam the pre-order button fast enough. After 3 eager months of waiting, it arrived!! I was immediately hooked. The worksheets are so fun and easy to use, and they're perfectly intermixed with her writing blurbs and instructions - great book for people that want to learn from step 1, or just go straight to the practice sheets! Then my dog chewed up my copy after I got about halfway through so I got wine drunk and cried to my boyfriend about how I "didn't have anything fun to do anymore" (he really appreciated that). I had to order another copy (I was thinking about doing so ANYWAY, because I was loving it so much that I wanted to start from scratch!) and honestly, we don't deserve this price. The book is so well-made, the paper, binding, and hardcover so beautiful and durable (except for puppy teeth but that's an outlier), the content so wonderful and enjoyable, that this thing is an absolute STEAL and a MUST for anyone that enjoys handwriting, whether you want to practice lettering as a craft or if you just want to write prettier. I've always loved working on my handwriting and have done so practically since I could write, but this book has improved it even more than I thought possible!! So I ordered another copy and then I thought, my best friend's birthday is coming up! Bingo, present in the bag. She loves it too! She's not a lettering hobbyist like me, but has always been similar to me in loving to craft her personal handwriting into the best it can be. Honestly I think everyone should have a copy of this book. It's so relaxing to use and has relevance for everyone - from the chicken-scratch guy that just wants to make their writing legible to the avid lettering guru that wants to learn new styles and tricks. I have bought three copies so far and I will probably buy more as I finish my current one. THANK YOU BRENNA!!!

The content is great. However, as another reviewer mentioned, the binding makes the worksheets difficult to navigate. Traditionally, your handwriting would be on a piece of paper laying flat on a writing surface. Since the worksheets are in a bound book, as you are writing (particularly as you get to the middle of the book), the slope of the pages and spine binding make it difficult to properly form the letters while navigating a not-flat writing surface. I have tried cracking the spine and flattening the pages as much as possible, but it does little to improve the flattening of the pages. It would be ideal to have the worksheets perforated to be able to be removed and worked flat. OR have a link to downloadable worksheets to be able to print on flat paper. I have actually downloaded a lined paper template and plan to work the exercises outside of the book for this reason. For a book that is supposed to improve handwriting, the format matters.

What a terrific book to help one recover the beauty and power of penmanship. I purchased two copies. Both men enjoyed them.

Love This!

I thought I would prefer this book over a very traditional handwriting practice book, but unfortunately I would not recommend it. It’s strangely organized so ex you just practice writing full sentences before individual letters, they don’t tell you what order or direction the strokes are meant to be made, the amount of blank space they give you to practice is inconsistent, and the example writing you’re supposed to be learning from and copying is inconsistent. It may be a fun enough book to work through but it’s sloppily made and more suited for maybe a child or teenager who wants to improve their handwriting vs an adult who is actually interested in handwriting and lettering.

Very nice examples of different writing. I have enjoyed using it to improve my penmanship. Don’t forget the workbook.

Me gustó todo, me encantaría que trajera hojas delgadas para seguir los trazos de la tipografía original

I recently became very fascinated with fountain pens and eventually wanted to learn how to improve my cursive writing. This book really helped me to slow down and think with my hands. It not only opened my eyes to the beauty of the written form but is also making me become more observant to the world around me.

A really good book. It is easy to read but has a real depth of knowledge. There is quality information about the structure of handwriting and an abundance of exercises to develop your skills. A worthwhile purchase.

I started a journey toward better handwriting and perhaps some calligraphy two or three years ago. The books that were available at the time didn’t quite fit what I was looking for. Then I found Brenna Jordan while searching for handwriting inspirations and saw that she was about to release The Lost Art Of Handwriting. I pre-ordered it, and haven’t looked back. It is such a clear and simple, yet detailed approach to handwriting and penmanship that it is a joy to read and work through. The exercises are abundant and help to develop the hand-eye coordination and small motor skills needed to improve (in my case dramatically) handwriting skills and legibility. This book can take you on a wonderful journey from scrawl, dysgraphia, to beautiful penmanship, and I highly recommend it to anyone interested in wanting to put pen to paper, and make it pleasing to oneself or others.

This is the text book of handwriting. 15 minutes of practice everyday following the techniques in this book will make your handwriting beautiful. I have been doing this for about a month now and everyone is surprised and all praises. This is a "wow" book. and I have gifted this book to a few who were inspired by my results. So it is a very good (timeless) gift too, especially for teenagers.