{"product_id":"on-the-mark-by-florence-hazrat-9781800819566","title":"On the Mark","description":"\u003cdiv class=\"book-description\"\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eSo. Good. So. Sharp. So. Clear. You. Need. This. Book. Period\u003c\/b\u003e - Lucy Mangan, author of \u003ci\u003eBookish\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy does this sentence start with a capital letter?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eWhy is this one broken up - and why does it end in a question mark?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eDoes anyone really know what semicolons are for; why are italics italicised, and why do words have spaces between them?\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003ePunctuation turns written words into meaningful language, inflecting them with nuance and tone: it can be the difference between a nice surprise! And a nasty ending...\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eFlorence Hazrat's ground-breaking history of punctuation stretches from the ancient past into the digital realms of today, from the fall of the Roman Empire to the rise of the emoji, the birth of the printing press to the death of the Oxford Comma.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eIn this definitive biography of the marks that give voice to our written words, and the characters that have shaped their usage, Hazrat reveals their richly storied past and how punctuation is evolving and more important than ever as we move from the printed page to the digital screen.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003eA deeply researched treasure trove that wears its knowledge lightly, \u003ci\u003eOn the Mark\u003c\/i\u003e is a fascinating odyssey through time and place for language lovers everywhere.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eThis wonderful history of punctuation is also a history of the world. In Hazrat's hands, every story has a point, and every point a story\u003c\/b\u003e -- Simon Garfield, author of \u003ci\u003eTHE PEN\u003c\/i\u003e \u0026amp; \u003ci\u003eJUST MY TYPE\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eA thought-provoking history of language's unsung dots and squiggles. Punctuation may be silent, but thankfully there's Hazrat to tell the tale\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e -- Eli Burnstein, author of \u003ci\u003eDICTIONARY OF FINE DISTINCTIONS\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e","brand":"Allen \u0026 Unwin Aotearoa New Zealand","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48234608460012,"sku":"9781800819566","price":55.0,"currency_code":"NZD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0705\/7784\/8556\/files\/9781800819566-on-the-mark-1.jpg?v=1787793630","url":"https:\/\/bookhero.live\/products\/on-the-mark-by-florence-hazrat-9781800819566","provider":"Book Hero","version":"1.0","type":"link"}