Menu
Bottom of the pile
23
/100
I Index Overall Rating
Readers
3/100Critics
44/100Scholars
Author:
Florence Hazrat
Publisher:
David R. Godine, Publisher
Date:
March 28, 2023
An Admirable Point recuperates the exclamation mark from its much maligned place at the bottom of the punctuation hierarchy. It explores how ! came about in the first place some six hundred years ago, and uncovers the many ways in which ! has left its mark on art, literature, (pop) culture, and just about any sphere of human activity.
What The Reviewers Say
Persuasive.
Brisk, enjoyably mischievous.
Hazrat notes the preponderance of the exclamation point in comic books, poster art, and political advertising.
The illuminating history traces how the rules of written language change over time, and the sharp analysis is grounded in a convincing philosophy of language, as when the author asserts that grammar should change as colloquial usage does because grammar’s purpose is to enable readers to 'feel our way' into a text..
