Jane~ NEW YEAR, NEW BOOK, NEW WRITING

Silvia Ferrara is a Professor of Archaeology and Linguistics. After several years as a researcher at Oxford University followed by teaching at UCL, Oxford and Cambridge she finally returned to Sapienza University in Rome and is now a Professor at the University of Bologna.

Whilst noting that she is a well-respected Academic in the field of Linguistic studies Silvia Ferrara has another special gift. The ability to write for laymen. In her new book The Greatest Invention: A History of the World in Nine Mysterious Scripts she imparts her vast academic knowledge in a form which makes this book a joyous adventure for those with only a fleeting insight into this fascinating subject.

The origin of writing has many beginnings from Mesopotamia 3,100 years before the birth of Christ to China, Egypt and Central America. A middle which snakes through the painted petroglyphs of Easter Island, across the great machines of Empires and over the desks of inspired and inspiring scholars. The end is yet to be written because it is, one hopes, a culture which will never have an ending.

The invention of writing enables humans to communicate a record of their lives, thoughts, myths and ideas. This is something we accept easily today but thinking back isn't it wonderful that we can link with writing made with a pen, a tool, perhaps just a feather by people across generations and continents as though only yesterday.

I think this book will become a best seller in 2022. I picked it up from our staff proof copy shelf one wet lunch time and was instantly enthralled. It's published on the 17th March, a little time to wait but do be patient. Silvia Ferrara takes us to the cutting edge of decipherment with a brilliant text plus interesting photographs and symbols. Hope you'll enjoy it as much as I did.

Jane

Ps: Order you a copy which you can purchase here.