Introduction: The Tiniest Sign
Time and Chance: Punctuality and the Coin Toss
Dit Dah: Codes to Sigh For
With a Bullet: Checklists and Dingbats
And a Half: Musical Dots
For Short: Mr., Sr., et al.
Dot Dot Dot: Ellipses, Lacunae, and Missing Links
Stet: Emendations of Immortality
Ninety-Eight Point Six: Decimals and Determinings
Dot Com: Computation Punctuation
Bang!: The Dot Meets The Family
Period: The End Point
Afterword and Acknowledgements
Notes
Bibliography
Index
Alexander Humez has authored or co-authored ten trade and reference
books, including collaborations with his brother such as Latin for
People, Alpha to Omega, A B C Et Cetera, and Zero to Lazy Eight
(also with J. Maguire). He lives in Somerville, Massachusetts.
Nicholas Humez is a freelance writer and silversmith. In addition
to the above collaborations, he is the author of Silversmithing: A
Basic Manual, plus four poetry chapbooks. He lives outside
Cleveland, Ohio.
"An excellent history of an underexamined typographical mark."
--London Review of Books
"To their credit, the Humez brothers take us beyond grammar
vigilantism and demonstrate that even the most common punctuation
marks serve a purpose beyond grammar. They focus on the history and
use of the dot and those punctuation marks where it resides
(semicolons, question marks, ellipses, etc.). They delve into uses
of the dot beyond punctuation, in Morse Code and musical notation
and mathematical and computational punctuation." --The Weekly
Standard
"An engrossing collection of curiosities that rewards dipping in
and out at one's leisure." --Library Journal
"In the emendations of proofreaders, the computer coding of
internet engineers, the calculations of accountants, and the
musical notations of composers, the Humez brothers catalogue an
impressive array of meanings conveyed by the dot. The author's
lively inquiries open surprising political and literary insights.
Who would have guessed, in short, that a mere speck of ink could
inspire such a fascinating foray?" --Booklist
"Ideal for etymologists and trivia buffs, this book covers an array
of information and innovations on the relevance of this speck, from
the preDewey decimal library of Alexandria to the modern global
culture of URLs, instant messaging and the music of Stevie Wonder."
--Publisher's Weekly
"Like its subject, the book is brief but wide ranging. This is not
a straightforward history: Humez and Humez meander through
etymology and culture, leaving the reader to, in effect, connect
the dots. A must for academic and public libraries, this is the
sort of book that can liven a class on the the history of
orthography or design. Highly recommended." --Choice
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