Letter perfect

Letter Perfect moves through the alphabet letter by letter, unpacking the surprisingly winding history behind each one — from Phoenician and Egyptian roots through Greek and Roman adaptations to their modern forms and uses. David Sacks treats the alphabet itself as one of history's most consequential and under-appreciated inventions, mixing etymology, archaeology, and cultural trivia along the way.

Structured as a reference-like tour rather than a single continuous narrative, the book is built for readers to explore letter by letter as much as start to finish.