Writing and Civilization: From Ancient Worlds to Modernity

By: Marc Zender, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Marc Zender

At just over 5,000 years old, writing is actually a relatively recent invention. It has become so central to the way we communicate and live, however, that it often seems as if writing has always existed.

But the question remains: Who invented writing, and why?

In these 24 fascinating lectures, you'll trace the remarkable saga of the invention and evolution of "visible speech," from its earliest origins to its future in the digital age. Your guide is an accomplished professor and epigrapher who whisks you around the globe to explore how an array of sophisticated writing systems developed, then were adopted and adapted by surrounding cultures.

Along the way, you'll visit the great early civilizations of Egypt, Mesopotamia, China, Japan, and the Americas, and you'll see how deciphering ancient scripts is a little like cracking secret codes - only far more difficult.

You'll be spellbound as you hear accounts of the breathtaking moments when the decipherment of ancient scripts broke centuries of silence. And you'll marvel at fascinating objects once shrouded in mystery, including the iconic Rosetta stone.

Writing and Civilization offers the chance to not only discover the history of ancient writing systems, but also the rare opportunity to actually hear those scripts read aloud and to learn the meaning of their messages hidden in plain sight.

PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your My Library section along with the audio.

©2013 The Great Courses (P)2013 The Teaching Company, LLC

Boringly named - totally mindblowing

History buffs need to buy this book. It will change your view on so many things.
period.

Excellent Set of Lectures

I listened to these about three or four years ago. I thought they were very good. The author debunks some things a lot of people believe. His passion for the subject made the lectures enjoyable.

Loved it!

Where does Writing and Civilization: From Ancient Worlds to Modernity rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

Definitely in the top 20.

What did you like best about this story?

Fascinating detail about how writing systems from all over the world and their commonalities and differences

Fascinating, surprising

An illuminating survey of the history and mechanics of writing. Spans millennia and continents but nevertheless offers enough detail and real-world examples to make the broader analysis accessible. You'll be surprised at how much you didn't know about writing, and how much of what you knew was wrong.

Delightful and dense introduction to linguistics

The enthusiasm! Our prof is enthusiastic when he talks about Linear A and Linear B; I'd have said it couldn't be done.

There is a lot of information in this course, and all cheerful and charming. I expect to listen to it again. The Great Courses company has a lot of material on linguistics, and I think this was a fortunate first, since I mean to hear more of them.