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Alphabetical - Michael Rosen

By Michael Rosen

Release Date: 2015-01-20

Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines

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Embark on a surprising journey from A to Z in this â€œpassionate and funny” history of the alphabet perfect for linguistics enthusiasts and history nerds (Boston Globe)!

“Fascinating tidbits of information . . . It’s like Oliver Jeffers’ Once Upon an Alphabet for grown–ups.” —Library Journal

How on Earth did we fix upon our 26 letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place? Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adventure through the history of the alphabet in 26 vivid chapters, fizzing with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts. Starting with the mysterious Phoenicians and how sounds first came to be written down, he races on to show how nonsense poems work; pins down the strange story of “OK”; traces our 5 lost letters; and tackles the tyranny of spelling, among many, many other things.

His heroes of the alphabet range from Edward Lear to Phyllis Pearsall (the inventor of the A–Z), and from the two scribes of Beowulf to rappers. Each chapter takes on a different subject—whether it's codes, umlauts or the writing of dictionaries. Rosen's enthusiasm for letters positively leaps off the page, whether it's the story of his life told through the typewriters he's owned or a chapter on jokes written in a string of gags and word games. This is the book for anyone who's ever wondered why Hawaiian only has a 13–letter alphabet or how exactly to write down the sound of a wild raspberry.

Alphabetical - Michael Rosen

By Michael Rosen

Release Date: 2015-01-20

Genre: Language Arts & Disciplines

(0 ratings)
Read Download
Embark on a surprising journey from A to Z in this â€œpassionate and funny” history of the alphabet perfect for linguistics enthusiasts and history nerds (Boston Globe)!

“Fascinating tidbits of information . . . It’s like Oliver Jeffers’ Once Upon an Alphabet for grown–ups.” —Library Journal

How on Earth did we fix upon our 26 letters, what do they really mean, and how did we come to write them down in the first place? Michael Rosen takes you on an unforgettable adventure through the history of the alphabet in 26 vivid chapters, fizzing with personal anecdotes and fascinating facts. Starting with the mysterious Phoenicians and how sounds first came to be written down, he races on to show how nonsense poems work; pins down the strange story of “OK”; traces our 5 lost letters; and tackles the tyranny of spelling, among many, many other things.

His heroes of the alphabet range from Edward Lear to Phyllis Pearsall (the inventor of the A–Z), and from the two scribes of Beowulf to rappers. Each chapter takes on a different subject—whether it's codes, umlauts or the writing of dictionaries. Rosen's enthusiasm for letters positively leaps off the page, whether it's the story of his life told through the typewriters he's owned or a chapter on jokes written in a string of gags and word games. This is the book for anyone who's ever wondered why Hawaiian only has a 13–letter alphabet or how exactly to write down the sound of a wild raspberry.

More by Michael Rosen

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Oh Dear, Look What I Got!

You Wait Till I'm Older Than You!

How to Make Children Laugh

The Missing: The True Story of My Family in World War II

Unexpected Twist: An Oliver Twisted Tale

What Else But Home

Getting Better

Dignity

Uncle Gobb and the Dread Shed

Workers' Tales

Centrally Heated Knickers

The Shadow of God

On Voluntary Servitude

The Big Journey

A caccia dell'orso

Snore!

Oww!

Howler

Jelly Boots, Smelly Boots

The Disappearance of Émile Zola

The Laugh Out Loud Joke Book

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Turning Words, Spinning Worlds

Out Of This World

Canto di Natale in famiglia

Michael Rosen's Book of Play

So They Call You Pisher!

Macbeth United

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Le prodigiose puzzette di pesce Batuffolo

Alone on Ice Floe

Environmental Contaminants

Bear Flies High

Monster

Le prodigiose puzzette di pesce Batuffolo

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One Day: A True Story of Survival in the Holocaust

Where Are You, Eddie? A Companion to Michael Rosen's Sad Book

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Ridiculous Raps and Rhymes

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Fuori dal mondo. Poesie per ridere, sorridere e pensare

Storie curiose per bambini che amano gli animali

Snow White and the Seven Bears

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