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New Secret Language of Symbols
Offers a look at the cultural and psychological explanations of symbols. This book presents and explains hundreds of symbols, theme by theme. It helps you learn about the various forms of dragon in myth, the attributes of different gods, angels and mythic heroes, and the array of meanings ascribed to human body parts.
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
About the author
D.C. Fontana
27 books36 followersDorothy Catherine "D. C." Fontana (born March 25, 1939) was an American television script writer and story editor, best known for her work on the original Star Trek franchise and several western television series. After she attended Fairleigh Dickinson University, she moved to New York City briefly to work for Screen Gems as a secretary, but soon moved to Los Angeles where she worked in the typing pool at Revue Studios. She became the secretary for Samuel A. Peeples, who she sold her first story, "A Bounty for Bill", for the series The Tall Man. Her initial work was credited under the name Dorothy C. Fontana.
After Peeples left the studio, she moved to work for Del Reisman, a producer on The Lieutenant. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry, and after his secretary fell ill, Fontana covered. The Lieutenant was cancelled after one season, and Roddenberry began working on Star Trek. He had her work up one of his ideas into the episode "Charlie X", and after she re-wrote "This Side of Paradise", he gave her the job of story editor. She continued in this post until the end of the second season when she wanted to pursue her freelance writing work. She was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for an episode of Then Came Bronson.
Roddenberry brought Fontana back to write for Genesis II, and then as story editor and associate producer on Star Trek: The Animated Series. During the 1970s she worked on a number of series such as Logan's Run, the Six Million Dollar Man and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Roddenberry hired her to work on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but while she was given an associate producer credit, the experience soured the relationship with Roddenberry and resulted in a claim put to the Writers Guild of America. She later wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the plots for several of the franchise's video games, in addition to a comic story and an episode of the fan-made series Star Trek: New Voyages. She was awarded the Morgan Cox Award in 2002 by the Writers Guild of America, and named twice to the American Screenwriters Association's hall of fame.
D. C. Fontana died December 2, 2019, after a brief illness.
After Peeples left the studio, she moved to work for Del Reisman, a producer on The Lieutenant. The show was created by Gene Roddenberry, and after his secretary fell ill, Fontana covered. The Lieutenant was cancelled after one season, and Roddenberry began working on Star Trek. He had her work up one of his ideas into the episode "Charlie X", and after she re-wrote "This Side of Paradise", he gave her the job of story editor. She continued in this post until the end of the second season when she wanted to pursue her freelance writing work. She was nominated for a Writers Guild of America Award for an episode of Then Came Bronson.
Roddenberry brought Fontana back to write for Genesis II, and then as story editor and associate producer on Star Trek: The Animated Series. During the 1970s she worked on a number of series such as Logan's Run, the Six Million Dollar Man and Buck Rogers in the 25th Century. Roddenberry hired her to work on Star Trek: The Next Generation, but while she was given an associate producer credit, the experience soured the relationship with Roddenberry and resulted in a claim put to the Writers Guild of America. She later wrote an episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation as well as the plots for several of the franchise's video games, in addition to a comic story and an episode of the fan-made series Star Trek: New Voyages. She was awarded the Morgan Cox Award in 2002 by the Writers Guild of America, and named twice to the American Screenwriters Association's hall of fame.
D. C. Fontana died December 2, 2019, after a brief illness.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
November 6, 2019
In David Fontana’s newest version of The Secret Language of Symbols, a few issues surrounding ill-presented images as far as layout was concerned have been resolved, and new material has been added. In this book, Fontana wishes to take a look at art, architecture, and other media, and discover the ‘hidden’ meanings of their symbols.
In doing so, he gives his reader a gorgeously designed book, filled with rich imagery, tons of trivia, a wide array of symbols, and many different themes. That said, even this new version of The Secret Language of Symbols isn’t that much of an extensive, informative book – it is informative, yes, but doesn’t go into too much detail or depth. This makes it an excellent book for the layman and/or beginner, or someone who just loves looking at pictures, but it’s certainly not a complete encyclopaedia on the subject. It also makes its subtitle, An Illustrated Key to Unlocking Their [symbols] Deep and Hidden Meanings, seem a little misleading, as there isn’t enough detail for those deep meanings to surface.
The book contains chapters on the following themes: the cosmos, nature, humans, divinity, patterns plus shapes and properties, symbols from the daily life, and myths. It also contains short ‘articles’ on religions and philosophies, such as Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.
A beautiful book for beginners or for people only moderately interested in symbols (such as myself), and an absolutely gorgeously designed book to look at (almost like an artbook or coffee table book). In such a sense, I would definitely recommend it, but don’t expect Fontana to go into too much detail (nor does he provide the reader with any references at all, which also bothered me a little bit).
In doing so, he gives his reader a gorgeously designed book, filled with rich imagery, tons of trivia, a wide array of symbols, and many different themes. That said, even this new version of The Secret Language of Symbols isn’t that much of an extensive, informative book – it is informative, yes, but doesn’t go into too much detail or depth. This makes it an excellent book for the layman and/or beginner, or someone who just loves looking at pictures, but it’s certainly not a complete encyclopaedia on the subject. It also makes its subtitle, An Illustrated Key to Unlocking Their [symbols] Deep and Hidden Meanings, seem a little misleading, as there isn’t enough detail for those deep meanings to surface.
The book contains chapters on the following themes: the cosmos, nature, humans, divinity, patterns plus shapes and properties, symbols from the daily life, and myths. It also contains short ‘articles’ on religions and philosophies, such as Islam, Hinduism, Taoism, etc.
A beautiful book for beginners or for people only moderately interested in symbols (such as myself), and an absolutely gorgeously designed book to look at (almost like an artbook or coffee table book). In such a sense, I would definitely recommend it, but don’t expect Fontana to go into too much detail (nor does he provide the reader with any references at all, which also bothered me a little bit).
July 5, 2011
Has an interesting array of information, though it doesn't go into much depth, being a simple survey. It is organized a bit haphazardly, though it does have both an index and a table of contents, so this is not a huge issue. The book itself is large and beautiful to look at, and serves itself best as a coffee table book, though if you're looking for something for serious research, you may want to look elsewhere.
May 22, 2013
This is a very informative book for anyone interested in looking beyond what something appears to be. The pages are beautifully illustrated, so it definitely appeals to my artistic side. I only wish the book offered a more in-depth look at the topics covered. Nonetheless, it is a great reference resource, especially when you're in a whimsical mood.
August 16, 2024
This wasn't quite the book I thought it would be. I figured it would be about ancient writing systems and decrypting various ancient symbols, but instead it was a book about the symbolism in everyday objects, and what different cultures see as the symbolism in different things. It was a bit boring, and I mostly finished it because I told myself I would, but it, as a reference book, and as an overview of symbolism, is quite useful and intriguing. Plus, it has a lot of beautiful pictures.
May 14, 2018
Gave this book a 3 as it is beautifully done, it is nice to look at. For content, it would be much less rated. Contains superficial, high level writeups. Felt like an off-shoot of the Da Vince code, that would sell as Langdon's interest.
November 13, 2021
This is a thorough and well-done dictionary of symbols, cross-cultural examinations from ancient times to present. There's lots of folklore, mythology, interesting tidbits of information categorized and grouped into different subject matters.
March 14, 2019
A great general introduction into symbology. Symbols from all over the globe are mentioned including myths.
April 16, 2016
This book is so BEAUTIFUL!
Its doesn't give you a definite answer about each symbol which defeats the point to me. but very nice illustrations
Its doesn't give you a definite answer about each symbol which defeats the point to me. but very nice illustrations
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews