100 Symbols That Changed the World: A history of universal logos, symbols and brands that have stood the test of time

by Colin Salter

100 Symbols That Changed The World looks at the genesis and adoption of the world’s most recognizable symbols. Universal symbols have been used as a form of communication from the Bronze Age, when the dynasties of ancient Egypt began the evolution of the thousand characters used in Egyptian hieroglyphics. In pre-Columbian America the Mayan civilization set out on a similar course, using pictures as a narrative text. With the adoption of written languages, symbols have come to represent an illustrated shorthand. The dollar sign in America evolved from colonists’ trade with the Spanish, and the widespread acceptance of Spanish currency in deals. Merchants’ clerks would shorten the repeated entry of “pesos” in their accounts ledgers, which needed to be written with a ‘p’ and an ‘s’. A single letter ‘s’ with the vertical stroke of the ‘p’ was much quicker. Historically correct dollar signs have a single stroke through the ‘S’. Symbols are also used to impart quick, recognizable safety advice. The radio activity symbol was designed in Berkley in 1946 to warn of the dangers of radioactive substances – and following the widespread use of gas masks in WWII, the trefoil symbol echoed the shape of the mask. There are many symbols of affiliation, not only to religious groups, but support of political causes or even brand loyalty. Symbols are used for identification, military markings and recognition of compatibility. They allow users to convey a large amount of information in a short space, such as the iconography of maps or an electrical circuit diagram. Symbols are an essential part of the architecture of mathematics. And in the case of the 1964 Tokyo Olympics – the first Games to be held in an Asian country – symbols allowed the organizers to create event signage that wouldn’t be lost in translation. The set of Olympic sports pictograms for the Games was a novel solution, and one that was added to in Mexico and Munich. Organized chronologically, 100 Symbols That Changed The World looks at the genesis and adoption of the world’s most recognizable symbols.

Genres: Nonfiction, History

224 pages, Hardcover

Published November 22, 2022

About the author

Edinburgh-based writer Colin Salter is the author of 100 Letters That Changed The World, 100 Speeches That Changed The World and the co-author with Scott Christianson of 100 Books That Changed The World.

Reviews

[Cheesecat777 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good coffee table book. Was a little too UK-centric for my tastes, but overall great if you want to learn a bit of trivia about well-known symbols throughout history

[Kostiantyn · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is definitely a book you should buy in physical form. The color is essential, and the strange formatting makes it look terrible on a black and white screen. The book is better suited for casual browsing than for a linear, cover-to-cover reading, as a full read can feel disjointed due to the mix of familiar and obscure topics. This sense of randomness is further amplified by the book’s central premise; the criteria for selecting which symbols truly “changed the world” are never made clear, leaving the impression that some were chosen more to fill out the collection than for their genuine historical impact.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very eye-catching cover followed by in-depth explanations and clear images of the one-hundred chosen symbols. The origin of the bluetooth symbol was my favorite takeaway.

[Tyler Monteleone · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall good read, but very UK centric and some of the choices for symbols are kinda strange. You have political symbols and major social movements next to things like the Android logo, which keeps the book fresh but not particularly close to the theme of “changing the world”, still id recommend it to people looking for a coffee table book.

[Mar wa · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF material! White centric, white supremacist bunch of poorly researched corny "content"

[Nine · Rating 2 out of 5]

Etwas UK-fokussiert, aber auch spannende neue Infos.