Keith Houston's entertaining book, inspired by his popular blog shadycharacters.co.uk, tells the unexpected stories of some unusual, and familiar, typographical marks and reveals a fascinating history of writing. Every character we write or type is a link to the past, and in today's printed, electronic and scrawled handwriting their history stares right back at us. This book charts the lives of some of the most intriguing examples, like how the pilcrow went from its noble origins in ancient Greece to near obsolescence, ...
Read More
Keith Houston's entertaining book, inspired by his popular blog shadycharacters.co.uk, tells the unexpected stories of some unusual, and familiar, typographical marks and reveals a fascinating history of writing. Every character we write or type is a link to the past, and in today's printed, electronic and scrawled handwriting their history stares right back at us. This book charts the lives of some of the most intriguing examples, like how the pilcrow went from its noble origins in ancient Greece to near obsolescence, only to be revived again in word processing software. Each character reflects the bust and boom endured by punctuation with each new technological innovation and together they form a rich history of written communication. 'Engaging typographical journeys . . . Houston brings to life a history of ingenuity and imagination' The Times 'Entertaining, informative, a must-read. If ever a book deserved its hardbacked, reverse-embossed, lavishly illustrated, thick white heavy paper incarnation, and a place on an actual bookshelf, it is Shady Characters' Guardian 'Houston brings considerable wit to the 5,000-year-old enigma of how we attempt to communicate our thoughts through visible signs . . . Shady Characters might make you look at books - in print or online - in an entirely new way' Nature 'Refreshing . . . the stories he uncovers along the way are fascinating' Telegraph 'Ventures into the previously untrodden history of punctuation marks . . . scholarly, highly readable' Spectator Keith Houston is the founder of ShadyCharacters.co.uk, where he writes about the unusual stories behind some well-known - and some rather more outlandish - marks of punctuation.
Read Less
Add this copy of Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and Other to cart. $10.50, very good condition, Sold by Half Price Books Inc rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Penguin Books Ltd.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used books may not include companion materials, and may have some shelf wear or limited writing. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority!
Add this copy of Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and Other to cart. $14.40, very good condition, Sold by Bound Matter rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Aurora, IL, UNITED STATES, published 2013 by Penguin Books.
Add this copy of Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and Other to cart. $18.40, very good condition, Sold by Greener Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from London, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2013 by Particular Books.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
Very good. **SHIPPED FROM UK** We believe you will be completely satisfied with our quick and reliable service. All orders are dispatched as swiftly as possible! Buy with confidence! Greener Books.
Add this copy of Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and other to cart. $21.94, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2015 by Penguin Books Ltd.
Add this copy of Shady Characters to cart. $25.85, new condition, Sold by Kennys.ie rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Galway, IRELAND, published 2015 by Penguin Books Ltd.
Choose your shipping method in Checkout. Costs may vary based on destination.
Seller's Description:
New. Where does the ampersand get its name from? What does the hashtag have to do with commerce in ancient Rome? This book gives answers to these questions. From the pilcrow to the ampersand, it reflects the changes in written communication through the ages, charting how punctuation has adapted to each new technological innovation. Num Pages: 352 pages. BIC Classification: AKD; CBX; CFL. Category: (G) General (US: Trade); (P) Professional & Vocational; (U) Tertiary Education (US: College). Dimension: 197 x 131 x 24. Weight in Grams: 330. 2015. New Edition. Paperback.....We ship daily from our Bookshop.
Add this copy of Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and other to cart. $27.22, new condition, Sold by Booksplease rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Southport, MERSEYSIDE, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2015 by Penguin Books Ltd.
