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Synopsis
The letters of the alphabet have been the object of speculation since their invention almost 4000 years ago. The symbols represent sounds, yet they exist in their own right, often invested with quasi-magical power. This book examines the many imaginative, often idiosyncratic ways in which the letters of the alphabet have been assigned value in political, spiritual, or religious belief systems over two millennia. The birth of writing was linked to religion and cosmology and was endowed with semi-divine status. Plato saw letter-forms as reflecting ideas, while the Pythagoreans assimilated them to number-theory. The Greeks employed letters for occult and divinatory purposes, while the Romans used them in more practical ways, such as the invention of shorthand. The Middle Ages saw the rise of further theories about letters in Christian philosophy, alchemy and Kabbalah. Theories of their divine origin and mystical significance continued into the 18th and 19th centuries, becoming involved with nationalism and revolutionary political theory. In our own day letters of the alphabet are the subject of scholarly research, and inspiration to graphic artists and a fertile field for mystical speculation. This book explores this realm, and should be of interest to cultural historians, art historians, and anyone interested in the history of typography.
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- PublisherThames & Hudson Ltd
- Publication date1995
- ISBN 10 0500016089
- ISBN 13 9780500016084
- BindingHardcover
- LanguageEnglish
- Edition number1
- Number of pages320
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth : The Alphabet in History, Mysticism and Imagination
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth : The Alphabet in History, Mysticism and Imagination
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
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Condition: Good. This is an ex-library book and may have the usual library/used-book markings inside.This book has hardback covers. In good all round condition. Dust jacket in good condition. Please note the Image in this listing is a stock photo and may not match the covers of the actual item,1300grams, ISBN:9780500016084. Seller Inventory # 4848766
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth: Letters in History and Imagination
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. 0500016089. 1995, bright clean copy, with dustjacket, no markings, Professional booksellers since 1981. Seller Inventory # 163215
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
Published by
Thames & Hudson, London, 1995
ISBN 10: 0500016089
ISBN 13: 9780500016084
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Philip Emery, Bridlington, United Kingdom
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Dust Jacket Condition: Very Good. First Edition. 320 pages, illustrated, notes, bibliography, index, light foxing to page edges. Seller Inventory # 166633
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Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 2.49. Seller Inventory # G0500016089I3N00
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Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 2.49. Seller Inventory # G0500016089I3N00
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Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
Seller: ThriftBooks-Dallas, Dallas, TX, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Good. No Jacket. Pages can have notes/highlighting. Spine may show signs of wear. ~ ThriftBooks: Read More, Spend Less 2.49. Seller Inventory # G0500016089I3N00
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
Published by
Thames & Hudson, 1995
ISBN 10: 0500016089
ISBN 13: 9780500016084
Used
Hardcover
First Edition
Seller: Gastown Bookwurm, Vancouver, BC, Canada
Seller rating 5 out of 5 stars
Hardcover. Condition: Near Fine. Dust Jacket Condition: Near Fine. 1st Edition. 1995. First edition. 320pp. NF book in like DJ. Paes are bright and free of marks; binding is tight & square. Some light wear to board and text edges. Seller Inventory # 000723
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The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters in History and Imagination
Seller: Sequitur Books, Boonsboro, MD, U.S.A.
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Hardcover. Condition: Very Good. Hardcover and dust jacket. Good binding and cover. Foxing to top page end. Clean, unmarked pages. A colorful and thorough exploration of the history of the alphabet and its symbolism in a mystical, philosophical, social, and artistic context. Seller Inventory # 1808150021
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