Shady Characters - Softcover
Shady Characters
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About the Author:
Keith Houston is the author of Shady Characters and the founder of shadycharacters.co.uk. He lives in London.
Review:
“If Eats, Shoots & Leaves whetted your appetite on the subject of punctuation, then you have a treat in store. Shady Characters is an authoritative, witty, and fascinating tour of the history and rationale behind such lesser known marks as the ampersand, manicule, the pilcrow, and the interrobang. Keith Houston also explains the octothorpe―otherwise known as the hashtag―and and my final comment on his book is #awesome.”
- Ben Yagoda, author of How to Not Write Bad
“Make no mistake: this is a book of secrets. With zeal and rigor, Keith Houston cracks open the &, the #, the † and more―all the little matryoshka dolls of meaning that make writing work. Inside, we meet novelists, publishers, scholars and scribes; we range from ancient Greeks to hashtagged tweets; and we see the weird and wonderful foundations of the most successful technology of all time.”
- Robin Sloan, author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
“Funny, surprising, and, of course, geeky.”
- Michael D. Schaffer and John Timpane, Philadelphia Inquirer
“Might make you look at books... in an entirely new way.”
- Andrew Robinson, Nature
“Houston...is a tireless researcher and an amiable teacher.”
- Jan Gardner, Boston Globe
“A pleasurable contribution to type history, particularly for readers who haven’t considered the ampersand in any detail.”
- Carl W. Scarbrough, New Criterion
“Fascinating.”
- Rob Kyff, The Courant
- Ben Yagoda, author of How to Not Write Bad
“Make no mistake: this is a book of secrets. With zeal and rigor, Keith Houston cracks open the &, the #, the † and more―all the little matryoshka dolls of meaning that make writing work. Inside, we meet novelists, publishers, scholars and scribes; we range from ancient Greeks to hashtagged tweets; and we see the weird and wonderful foundations of the most successful technology of all time.”
- Robin Sloan, author of Mr. Penumbra's 24-Hour Bookstore
“Funny, surprising, and, of course, geeky.”
- Michael D. Schaffer and John Timpane, Philadelphia Inquirer
“Might make you look at books... in an entirely new way.”
- Andrew Robinson, Nature
“Houston...is a tireless researcher and an amiable teacher.”
- Jan Gardner, Boston Globe
“A pleasurable contribution to type history, particularly for readers who haven’t considered the ampersand in any detail.”
- Carl W. Scarbrough, New Criterion
“Fascinating.”
- Rob Kyff, The Courant
"About this title" may belong to another edition of this title.
- PublisherPenguin Books
- Publication date2015
- ISBN 10 0718193881
- ISBN 13 9780718193881
- BindingPaperback
- Number of pages352
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Shady Characters (Paperback)
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(2015)
ISBN 10: 0718193881
ISBN 13: 9780718193881
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: new. Paperback. The fascinating and unexpected stories behind the typographical symbols we use every day.What does the hashtag have to do with ancient Romans and Isaac Newton?How did a dash almost bring down the British establishment?Why is the at symbol called a strudel in Hebrew and rollmop herring in Czech?How do you express sarcasm with a punctuation mark?This book is all about the symbols we use every day, and the incredible stories behind why they mean what they mean. Taking in ancient graffiti, Medieval shorthand, New York advertising men, great orators, rogues, rebels and pioneers, Shady Characters reveals how a series of strange signs, shapes and squiggles have (often literally) shaped our language. 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. Shipping may be from multiple locations in the US or from the UK, depending on stock availability. Seller Inventory # 9780718193881
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Shady Characters: Ampersands, Interrobangs and other Typographical Curiosities [Soft Cover ]
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: New. BRAND NEW ** SUPER FAST SHIPPING FROM UK WAREHOUSE ** 30 DAY MONEY BACK GUARANTEE. Seller Inventory # 9780718193881-GDR
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Book Description Paperback / softback. Condition: New. New copy - Usually dispatched within 4 working days. 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. Seller Inventory # B9780718193881
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Book Description Paperback. Condition: Brand New. 352 pages. 7.68x5.12x1.22 inches. In Stock. Seller Inventory # __0718193881
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Shady Characters : Ampersands, Interrobangs and Other Typographical Curiosities
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Book Description Condition: 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. . . . . Books ship from the US and Ireland. Seller Inventory # V9780718193881
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Book Description Condition: 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. . . . . Seller Inventory # V9780718193881
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