The Writing Revolution: Cuneiform to the Internet

by Amalia E. Gnanadesikan

In a world of rapid technological advancements, it can be easy to forget that writing is the original Information Technology, created to transcend the limitations of human memory and to defy time and space. The Writing Revolution picks apart the development of this communication tool to show how it has conquered the world. Explores how writing has liberated the world, making possible everything from complex bureaucracy, literature, and science, to instruction manuals and love letters Draws on an engaging range of examples, from the first cuneiform clay tablet, Egyptian hieroglyphs, and Japanese syllabaries, to the printing press and the text messaging Weaves together ideas from a number of fields, including history, cultural studies and archaeology, as well as linguistics and literature, to create an interdisciplinary volume Traces the origins of each of the world’s major written traditions, along with their applications, adaptations, and cultural influences

Genres: Nonfiction, Linguistics, History, Language, Writing

447 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 10, 2008

Reviews

[Maru Kun]

Finally found something I've wanted to find for decades but I never thought to look in the internet - the phonetic alphabet with sounds! Interactive IPA Chart

And just like London buses, as soon as one comes along suddenly they are everywhere: IPA Chart With Sounds

[Quinton · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found The Writing Revolution to be well-written, informative, accessible, and entertaining. The author does an excellent job of neither expecting the reader to be familiar with linguistic terminology nor shying away from its use when appropriate (after explaining it in an accessible but not pedantic or condescending way).
For me, personally, much of the content was familiar to some degree. Nevertheless, I found the writing style made even the most familiar things fresh and drew from them new insight. I was particularly impressed by the way that specific changes or moments of history were shown to be indicative of larger trends, and the way that scripts we see and work with every day were reevaluated to linguistic and comparative standards.

I found the author's style to be witty and perspicacious while simultaneously frank and informative. Only very seldom did I feel that any topic was discussed at excessive length, and equally seldom did I encounter mistakes or unnatural phrasing (not counted among these the repeated appearance of "to be proved," which although very unnatural to my ears [or shall I say eyes?] is, in fact, correct). The book certainly had a polished and complete feel.

Lamentably, the book already feels quite dated due to the rapid progression of technology in the years following its publishing. Particularly betraying are its references to "instant messaging" and the absence of references to now-pervasive social media, be it Facebook, Twitter, or Wikipedia. If a new edition of this book is ever to be published (for example, if breakthroughs should occur in the deciphering of Linear A or astonishing new evidence should radically alter the way the history of writing is perceived) then I am eager to discover the author's take on these and how they fit in the greater picture of writing.

All in all, greatly enjoyed and highly recommended. Excellent for anyone without significant prior knowledge of the topic but also valuable for anyone for whom the topic is familiar. Five stars!

[Paula Nunes · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm a linguist, so I had no trouble reading this book. It's very interesting, clear in its explanations, full of examples, but I really don't know if a lay would be able to read it. Still, for those interested in languages, especially in writing, it's a fascinating work.

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an excellent, concise history of the writing systems of the world. Although it's pretty densely packed with information and takes a while to get through, it's presented very well and the writing is accessible and interesting. I was a linguistics major, so I may have a bit of a leg up on some of the concepts, but I think it would be pretty understandable to someone with less experience too. The hypothetical story of how the Greeks derived their alphabet was a little plodding and annoying, but other than that, the facts were far from dry. I give it five stars for its clarity and lively descriptions of a linguistics topic that could have been treated in a much blander fashion. Anything that can so intelligibly describe and explain the cultural and linguistic interactions between civilizations over thousands of years deserves high praise.

Also, it sounds like the Korean Hangul system wins for being the easiest to learn, and is also one of the most accurate systems in representing the language's phonemes.

[Robert Murphy · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a completely wonderful book. The vocabulary is a little academic, so I wouldn't recommend this to the non-college educated, but it cannot beat for scope and style. I only wish I had read this before attempting Akkadian: the radically different origins of writing systems are practically inconceivable to modern people. If I ever become a Hebrew/Language professor, this will be my require prose textbook. Highly recommended.

[So Hakim · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably among the most fascinating books I ever read. The author did excellent job dissecting the history of written language, their evolutionary paths, and -- most impressively -- how to read them based on current archaeological knowledge. A very delightful read about archaeology of written language.

Ps: this book needs more mainstream recognition!

[Elentarri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting, somewhat technical. Lots of pictures and some maps.

[Jeffrey Henning · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my favorite types of books: Following a trend or technology throughout human history, looking at a wide range of cultures. I thought I understand the evolution of writing systems, but there was a lot I didn't know. Her hypothetical explanation of how a Greek trader might have mislearned the Phoenician alphabet was fascinating and insightful.

[Tamara Wasylenky · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of my favorite books on writing systems because it is accessible for those who are new to the topic and it provides a great overview. I also really like that it contextualizes the development of the writing systems historically and culturally. I return to this book again and again!

[Nicolay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting overview of the history of writing.

[Oleh · Rating 4 out of 5]

I already knew most of the stuff and I would love more examples for some of the mentioned scripts, but overall it was a well-structured read outlining the spread of writing systems and their impact on the world.