Items related to Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet...
A fun, lively, and learned excursion into the alphabet—and cultural history.
Letters are tangible language. Joining together in endless combinations to actually show speech, letters convey our messages and tell our stories. While we encounter these tiny shapes hundreds of times a day, we take for granted the long, fascinating history behind one of the most fundamental of human inventions: the alphabet.
The heart of the book is the 26 fact-filled “biographies” of letters A through Z, each one identifying the letter’s particular significance for modern readers, tracing its development from ancient forms, and discussing its noteworthy role in literature and other media. We learn, for example, why the letter X has a sinister and sexual aura, how B came to signify second best, why the word “mother” in many languages starts with M, and what is the story of O.
Packed with information and lavishly illustrated, Letter Perfect is accessible, entertaining, and essential to the appreciation of our own language.
Letters are tangible language. Joining together in endless combinations to actually show speech, letters convey our messages and tell our stories. While we encounter these tiny shapes hundreds of times a day, we take for granted the long, fascinating history behind one of the most fundamental of human inventions: the alphabet.
The heart of the book is the 26 fact-filled “biographies” of letters A through Z, each one identifying the letter’s particular significance for modern readers, tracing its development from ancient forms, and discussing its noteworthy role in literature and other media. We learn, for example, why the letter X has a sinister and sexual aura, how B came to signify second best, why the word “mother” in many languages starts with M, and what is the story of O.
Packed with information and lavishly illustrated, Letter Perfect is accessible, entertaining, and essential to the appreciation of our own language.
"synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
From the Inside Flap:
Letters are tangible language. Joining together in endless combinations to actually show speech, letters convey our messages and tell our stories. While we encounter these tiny shapes hundreds of times a day, we take for granted the long, fascinating history behind one of the most fundamental of human inventions -- the alphabet.
The heart of the book is the 26 fact-filled “biographies” of letters A through Z, each one identifying the letter’s particular significance for modern readers, tracing its development from ancient forms, and discussing its noteworthy role in literature and other media. We learn, for example, why the letter X has a sinister and sexual aura, how B came to signify second best, why the word “mother” in many languages starts with M, and what is the story of O.
Packed with information and lavishly illustrated, Language Visible is not only accessible and entertaining, but essential to the appreciation of our own language.
From the Hardcover edition.
About the Author:
The heart of the book is the 26 fact-filled “biographies” of letters A through Z, each one identifying the letter’s particular significance for modern readers, tracing its development from ancient forms, and discussing its noteworthy role in literature and other media. We learn, for example, why the letter X has a sinister and sexual aura, how B came to signify second best, why the word “mother” in many languages starts with M, and what is the story of O.
Packed with information and lavishly illustrated, Language Visible is not only accessible and entertaining, but essential to the appreciation of our own language.
From the Hardcover edition.
DAVID SACKS is author of the Encyclopedia of the Ancient Greek World. His articles mainly on cultural topics have appeared in the New York Times Book Review, the Wall Street Journal, the Ottawa Citizen, and dozens of magazines. He lives in Ottawa, Ontario.
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherCrown
- Publication date2004
- ISBN 10 0767911733
- ISBN 13 9780767911733
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages416
- Rating
Buy New
Learn more about this copy
US$ 12.34
Shipping:
US$ 2.64
Within U.S.A.
Top Search Results from the AbeBooks Marketplace
Seller Image
Letter Perfect : The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 2016228-n
Buy New
US$ 12.34
Convert currency
Seller Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z by Sacks, David [Paperback ]
Published by
Broadway Books
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0767911733
ISBN 13: 9780767911733
New
Soft Cover
Quantity: 10
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Soft Cover. Condition: new. Seller Inventory # 9780767911733
Buy New
US$ 14.99
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect Format: Paperback
Published by
Penguin Random House
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0767911733
ISBN 13: 9780767911733
New
Softcover
Quantity: > 20
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Brand New. Seller Inventory # 9780767911733
Buy New
US$ 11.97
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Buy with confidence! Book is in new, never-used condition 0.84. Seller Inventory # bk0767911733xvz189zvxnew
Buy New
US$ 21.74
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. New! This book is in the same immaculate condition as when it was published 0.84. Seller Inventory # 353-0767911733-new
Buy New
US$ 21.74
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Published by
Broadway Books
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0767911733
ISBN 13: 9780767911733
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Softcover. Condition: New. A fun, lively, and learned excursion into the alphabet-and cultural history.Letters are tangible language. Joining together in endless combinations to actually show speech, letters convey our messages and tell our stories. While we encounter these tiny shapes hundreds of times a day, we take for granted the long, fascinating history behind one of the most fundamental of human inventions: the alphabet.The heart of the book is the 26 fact-filled biographies of letters A through Z, each one identifying the letters particular significance for modern readers, tracing its development from ancient forms, and discussing its noteworthy role in literature and other media. We learn, for example, why the letter X has a sinister and sexual aura, how B came to signify second best, why the word mother in many languages starts with M, and what is the story of O.Packed with information and lavishly illustrated, Letter Perfect is accessible, entertaining, and essential to the appreciation of our own language. Seller Inventory # DADAX0767911733
Buy New
US$ 21.77
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect
Published by
Random House
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0767911733
ISBN 13: 9780767911733
New
Softcover
Quantity: 3
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 26900127
Buy New
US$ 17.86
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Buy for Great customer experience. Seller Inventory # GoldenDragon0767911733
Buy New
US$ 23.12
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect: The Marvelous History of Our Alphabet From A to Z
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. New. Seller Inventory # Wizard0767911733
Buy New
US$ 26.89
Convert currency
Stock Image
Letter Perfect
Published by
Random House
(2004)
ISBN 10: 0767911733
ISBN 13: 9780767911733
New
Softcover
Quantity: 1
Seller:
Rating
Book Description Condition: New. Seller Inventory # 7996352
Buy New
US$ 22.39
Convert currency