Tiffany, I'll try my bit on the wiki entry.

But Souvenir does have some curvy parts -notably diagonals, like in the "A"- which are traditionally straight. My Paphos (please, please don't ask me when it'll be released) does that too. Although I certainly hope nobody will think it's cuddly...

hhp

William (et al), I edited what was there, trying to stick to the facts where I know them.

FWIW, I would differentiate between low stroke contrast, rounded serifs, and a curved "skeleton". "Soft" is not particularly descriptive.

Peter, thanks for participating. Never be afraid to add articulation to the wiki. I'm sure everyone appreciates it.

Peter, thanks for contributing.

Paul, your link and the one in the 'new' box still don't let me in to the wiki entry. Raph's link, above, which has the cap S in Souvenir in the address, I discovered, does let me in.

Peter, you are right of course that 'soft' is too vague. Being specific about the rounded terminals, stroke contrast, which traditionally straight features are bent, etc is much more accurate.

There is, though, a certain 'warm and fuzzy' aesthetic that designs try for in various ways, and Souvenir achieves it while also getting good readibility. For example, Benguiat's self-named face achieves the warmth, but is less readable than Souvenir.

"each of his dogs had managed to fall into the pond (one of them twice)."

Retrievers "falling" into a pond is like birds "falling" into the sky... and most retrievers have, as standard equipment, an automatic "shake" reflex/function that commences immediately after said retriever exits the water, and spreads aqueous joy on all in their immediate proximity.

"Outside of a dog, a book is man's best friend; inside a dog it's too dark to read." -Groucho Marx

listen to the barking dogs

Check out the second image here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4748497.stm

Hey, I know: the official "friendly fire" font!

hhp

In case anyone was looking for this: http://www.incipit.com/images/SchelterSouvenirComp.jpg
has been changed to:
http://www.incipit.com/scheltersouvenir.pdf

ITC Souvenir is within the gray bands.

As far as backstory, I've included a discussion and showing of Eastern Souvenir in the Nov. 2005 Communication Arts typography column.

I need to read this. :-)

Also see Souvenir's autobiography:
www.creativeampersand.co.uk/images/alphabet_images/souvenir.pdf