In this vivid and humorous monograph-meets-memoir, Los Angeles–based lettering supremo Michael Doret shares his top-secret tricks for making mere words into iconic words-as-images for clients such as Disney, Pixar, Time, Kiss, the Knicks and more. With more than 700 images, Alphabet City traces Doret’s influences from 1950s Brooklyn to 2000s LA, showcasing his clever logo, signage and poster projects along the way. It also presents and preserves the pre-digital process of custom lettering—from initial pencil sketches to printer mechanicals to final art (plus some spurned client proposals for good measure!). With original photo tutorials that teach all the classic lettering tricks, a foreword by type aficionado Nick Sherman and a freshly commissioned cover by Doret himself, Alphabet City offers a dose of welcome nostalgia—and endless inspiration—for letterform lovers of any generation.