"There are countless books that can teach you the alphabet, but almost
none that focus on the tiny designs that run interference among the
letterforms: those easily overlooked punctuation and typographic
symbols. These symbols, as Michael Arndt proves in this beautiful and
endlessly fascinating book, are absolutely indispensable to
communication: punctuation turns words into sentences and language into
meaning... From commas to semicolons, from slashes to asterisks, from
guillemets to octothorpes (named, perhaps, after athlete Jim Thorpe),
you'll never look at punctuation the same way again."--Michael Bierut,
partner, Pentagram
In this show-stopping guide with more than 75 uniquely designed
two-color spreads--a rollicking linguistic ride for fans of Eats,
Shoots & Leaves and Just My Type--award-winning graphic designer
Michael Arndt explores the typographic origins, names, and shapes of
both common punctuation marks and symbols, as well as the proper and
diverse usage of each.
From the period to the question mark, the semicolon to the em dash,
symbols and marks are an integral part of language. In graphically
engaging spreads that utilize typography in an innovative way, Snails &
Monkey Tails examines the evolution of these mighty linguistic
tools--from the punctum, or point, created by an ancient scribe to the
guillemet, used most commonly in lieu of quote marks by the French (and
named in honor of a typographer Guillaume Le Bé). With verve and
insight, Michael Arndt explains their proper usage and how they came to
be universally accepted today.
Snails & Monkey Tails--Snails (@); Monkey Tails (&)--is packed with
intriguing facts, history, stories, and lore, as well as grammar,
explaining it clearly and with examples. What is the purpose of the
comma--perhaps the most used symbol in the English language--and what
are the proper uses of the asterisk? Do quote marks go inside or outside
punctuation? What about a quote within a quote--a quote from someone
quoting someone else? How much space goes on either side of an ellipsis?
What's the difference between an en-dash and an em-dash?
Complete with a listing of useful terms and clear diagrams for creating
typographical marks and symbols correctly on both PC and Apple
computers, Snails & Monkey Tails is essential for bibliophiles,
writers, grammarians, graphic designers, typography enthusiasts,
logophiles, and anyone with a passion for the written word.
