Alpha Beta - Couverture souple

Man, John

Couverture souple

ISBN 10 : 0553819658 ISBN 13 : 9780553819656

Editeur : Bantam, 2009

Synopsis

The idea behind the alphabet - that language with all its wealth of meaning can be recorded with a few meaningless signs - is an extraordinary one. So extraordinary, in fact, that it has occurred only once in human history: in Egypt about 4000 years ago. Alpha Beta follows the emergence of the western alphabet as it evolved into its present form, contributing vital elements to our sense of identity along the way. The Israelites used it to define their God, the Greeks to capture their myths, the Romans to display their power. And today, it seems on the verge of yet another expansion through the internet.

Tracking the alphabet as it leaps from culture to culture, John Man weaves discoveries, mysteries and controversies into a story of fundamental historical significance.

A propos du livre

À propos de l'auteur

John Man is a historian and travel writer with a special interest in Mongolia. After reading German and French at Oxford he did two postgraduate courses, one in the history of science at Oxford, the other in Mongolian at the School of Oriental and African Studies in London.

John has written acclaimed and highly successful biographies of Genghis Khan, Attila the Hun and Kublai Khan as well as Alpha Beta, on the history of the alphabet, and The Gutenberg Revolution, on the invention of printing.

Détails de l'édition

• Éditeur: Bantam
• Date d'édition: 2009
• Langue: anglais
• ISBN 10: 0553819658
• ISBN 13: 9780553819656
• Reliure: Broché
• Nombre de pages: 336
• Coordonnées du fabricant: Penguin Books Limited; productsafety@penguin.co.uk; ; One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens; London; SW11 7BW; Royaume-Uni
• Personne responsable: Penguin Books Limited; productsafety@penguin.co.uk; ; One Embassy Gardens, 8 Viaduct Gardens; London; SW11 7BW; Royaume-Uni