Letter by Letter

"Letters are more than the building blocks of our language; some believe they form the basis of our consciousness. When considered separately from words and sentences, however, letters express their own mysterious beauty. In Letter by Letter graphic designer and calligrapher Laurent Pflughaupt uncovers their secrets." "He analyzes each letter of the Roman alphabet in detail, tracing its origin, evolution, and form, as well as discussing its important abbreviations, symbols, and associated meanings. Arranged in alphabetical order, twenty-six entries offer a wealth of facts about each letter, establishing correspondences between letters and elements borrowed from a variety of different fields of study ranging from traditional paleography, phonetics, and graphic arts to the more arcane areas of musicology, esotericism, and even Eastern philosophy. In addition to a glossary, timelines and images allow us to visualize the letters during different historical eras, giving the reader an appreciation of their successive metamorphoses. Written in homage to letters, this lovingly illustrated book takes a broad approach to the modern alphabet, allowing the reader to see letters anew, in a fresh and lively manner guaranteed to inform and enchant anyone interested in typography and language."--Jacket.