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.
