Bibliograph

The greatest invention, a history of the world in nine mysterious scripts, Silvia Ferrara ; translated from the Italian by Todd Portnowitz

Type

Label

The greatest invention, a history of the world in nine mysterious scripts, Silvia Ferrara ; translated from the Italian by Todd Portnowitz

Language

eng

Bibliography note

Includes bibliographical references (pages 285-289)

Illustrations

illustrations

Index

no index present

Literary Form

non fiction

Main title

The greatest invention

Nature of contents

bibliography

Oclc number

11285369690

Responsibility statement

Silvia Ferrara ; translated from the Italian by Todd Portnowitz

Sub title

a history of the world in nine mysterious scripts

Summary

"Silvia Ferrara leads a code cracking mission to decipher the hidden truths and histories of our greatest invention-the art of writing"--, Provided by publisherFerrara takes a profound look at how-- and how many times-- human beings have managed to produce the miracle of written language around the world. Readers will examine the enigmas of undeciphered scripts; study the turtle shells and ox scapulae that bear the earliest Chinese inscriptions, and venture to the cutting edge as high-powered laser scanners bring tears to an engineer's eyes. Ferrara chronicles a journey filled with past flashes of brilliance, present-day scientific research, and a faint glimpse of writing's future. -- adapted from jacket

Table Of Contents

Behind the scenes. Stories ; Nature -- Undeciphered scripts. Islands. Crete ; Cyprus ; Easter Island -- Invented scripts. Cities ; Before the Pharaohs ; Between two rivers ; Chinese turtles ; Across the ocean ; End of story -- Experiments. Tradition ; Solitary inventors ; Isolated branches ; Social inventors -- Discoveries. Where to begin ; How to decipher -- The great vision. First ; Afterward ; Tomorrow ; Postscriptum

Target audience

adult

Classification