The Alphabetic Labyrinth: The Letters In History And Imagination
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good. Jacket: N/A (Paperback, no dust jacket). Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings.
A landmark work in the history of writing, The Alphabetic Labyrinth by Johanna Drucker traces the rich and complex story of the alphabet from its ancient origins to its role in shaping modern culture and thought. Drucker, a scholar of visual culture and typography, argues that letters are far more than practical tools of communication — they are charged symbols that have accumulated layers of mystical, philosophical, and aesthetic meaning across millennia. The book chronicles how alphabets have been interpreted, reinvented, and imbued with spiritual power by thinkers, artists, and mystics throughout Western history, from Kabbalah to Renaissance humanists and beyond. Drawing on an extraordinary range of visual and textual sources, it presents a sweeping panorama of how the written letter has captured the human imagination. Both rigorous and visually stunning, this is an essential reference for anyone interested in the intersection of language, art, and cultural history.
Author: Johanna Drucker
Format: Paperback
Published: 1995, Thames and Hudson
Genre: History of arts
Condition remarks:
Condition: Good. Jacket: N/A (Paperback, no dust jacket). Page Condition: Good. Markings: No markings.
A landmark work in the history of writing, The Alphabetic Labyrinth by Johanna Drucker traces the rich and complex story of the alphabet from its ancient origins to its role in shaping modern culture and thought. Drucker, a scholar of visual culture and typography, argues that letters are far more than practical tools of communication — they are charged symbols that have accumulated layers of mystical, philosophical, and aesthetic meaning across millennia. The book chronicles how alphabets have been interpreted, reinvented, and imbued with spiritual power by thinkers, artists, and mystics throughout Western history, from Kabbalah to Renaissance humanists and beyond. Drawing on an extraordinary range of visual and textual sources, it presents a sweeping panorama of how the written letter has captured the human imagination. Both rigorous and visually stunning, this is an essential reference for anyone interested in the intersection of language, art, and cultural history.