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Description
For centuries, many of the world's earliest scripts stood unread. Only through the work of decipherers did these languages begin to speak again, revealing histories that would otherwise have disappeared.
The Book of Lost Languages is part detective story, part history, part linguistic adventure, tracing the great journeys of decipherment. From the Rosetta Stone's long-awaited breakthrough to the Cold War effort that unlocked Mayan glyphs, and from ancient Chinese scripts to the enigmatic writing of Easter Island, it follows the remarkable mental leaps that gradually restored forgotten worlds.
As it moves through these discoveries, the book also introduces the minds behind them – their rivalries and collaborations, their habits, doubts and flashes of insight – showing how human ingenuity and obsession shifted the boundaries of what could be known.
The result is an exhilarating story of people and politics, genius and ingenuity, blinkered scepticism and blind acceptance, and of the beguiling artistry behind some of the greatest puzzles ever created.
Product details
| Published | 03 Nov 2026 |
|---|---|
| Format | Paperback |
| Edition | 1st |
| Pages | 336 |
| ISBN | 9781526645982 |
| Imprint | Bloomsbury Publishing |
| Illustrations | 2 x 8pp colour plates |
| Dimensions | 234 x 153 mm |
| Publisher | Bloomsbury Publishing |
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