Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks
Language: English
Published by W. W. Norton & Company, 2013
- Hardcover
- Used
Seller: SustainableBooks.com, Amherst, NY, U.S.A.SustainableBooks.com
AbeBooks seller since August 19, 2025
Condition: Used - Very good
US$ 10.92
Quantity: 1 available
Add to basketItem description from seller
Book is in Used-VeryGood condition. Pages and cover are clean and intact. Used items may not include supplementary materials such as CDs or access codes. May show signs of minor shelf wear and contain very limited notes and highlighting.
Seller Inventory # 0393064425-2-3
- Title
- Shady Characters: The Secret Life of Punctuation, Symbols, and Other Typographical Marks
- Author
- Houston, Keith
- Publisher
- W. W. Norton & Company
- Publication year
- 2013
- Condition
- Very Good
- Binding
- Hardcover
- Language
- English
- ISBN 10
- 0393064425
- ISBN 13
- 9780393064421
- Item weight
- 1.15 pounds
From ancient Greece to the Internet―via the Renaissance, Gutenberg, and Madison Avenue―Shady Characters exposes the secret history of punctuation.
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.
2-color; 75 illustrations"Synopsis" may belong to another edition of this title.
About the Author
"About the title" may belong to another edition of this title.
SustainableBooks.com
Amherst, NY, U.S.A.
AbeBooks seller since August 19, 2025
Shipping rates within U.S.A.
| Item | 3 to 10 business days | 3 to 8 business days |
|---|---|---|
| First item | US$ 0.00 | US$ 15.00 |
Payment methods
Store description
We are dedicated to providing customers with unrivaled customer service, a unique customer experience, and a wide range of great books at affordable prices.
Specialty
mostly used books., All kinds: textbooks, novelsSeller's business information
GLASSFROGBOOKS INC.
51 Caldari Road, Unit #A-10
Concord, ON Canada L4K4G3
Terms of sale
Thank you for your interest in our books!
Our store policies adhere to the policies set forth by AbeBooks.
We strive to keep our descriptions accurate and our shipping fast. We are available to answer any questions you may have prior to ordering about the product or shipping.
We accept payment from all major credit cards. We do not accept checks, money orders, cash or Paypal payments. Please do not email or send us your credit card information directly. All payment information is processed by AbeBooks securely when you check out on their site.
If you have any questions or concerns, please use the 'Contact the Bookseller' link.
Shipping terms
Guarantee
We guarantee your order will ship within 2 business days from the United States.
Shipping rates are based on books weighing 2.2 lbs or 1 KG. If your book order is heavy or oversized, we may contact you to let you know extra shipping is required.
Information
In very rare cases, your book may take longer to reach than quoted for unexpected reasons. If there is any problem with ordering or shipment, please contact us right away. We ensure a response within 48 hours. Please note that the chance of shipping delays is higher during holiday seasons.
Please double-check your information
We cannot be responsible for delivery problems/loss due to customers’ error. We encourage all customers to double check form information, especially delivery address, before submitting orders.