Keith Houston Shady Characters (Paperback)

Description: Further DetailsTitle: Shady CharactersCondition: NewSubtitle: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical MarksISBN-10: 0393349721EAN: 9780393349726ISBN: 9780393349726Publisher: WW Norton & CoFormat: PaperbackRelease Date: 10/24/2014Description: A charming and indispensable tour of two thousand years of the written word, Shady Characters weaves a fascinating trail across the parallel histories of language and typography. Whether investigating the asterisk (*) and dagger (†)—which alternately illuminated and skewered heretical verses of the early Bible—or the at sign (@), which languished in obscurity for centuries until rescued by the Internet, Keith Houston draws on myriad sources to chart the life and times of these enigmatic squiggles, both exotic (¶) and everyday (&). From the Library of Alexandria to the halls of Bell Labs, figures as diverse as Charlemagne, Vladimir Nabokov, and George W. Bush cross paths with marks as obscure as the interrobang (?) and as divisive as the dash (—). Ancient Roman graffiti, Venetian trading shorthand, Cold War double agents, and Madison Avenue round out an ever more diverse set of episodes, characters, and artifacts. Richly illustrated, ranging across time, typographies, and countries, Shady Characters will delight and entertain all who cherish the unpredictable and surprising in the writing life.Language: EnglishCountry/Region of Manufacture: USItem Height: 211mmItem Length: 140mmItem Width: 23mmItem Weight: 400gAuthor: Keith HoustonGenre: Language & ReferenceTopic: Arts & PhotographyRelease Year: 2014 Missing Information?Please contact us if any details are missing and where possible we will add the information to our listing.

Price: 20.05 USD

Location: 60543

End Time: 2025-01-19T23:10:27.000Z

Shipping Cost: N/A USD