Foreword.

Introduction: Of Giants and Genius.

The Trouble with Pictures.

The Bearable Burden of Syllables.

Letters in the Wilderness.

The Search for the Perfect Alphabet.

Into Sinai.

The Land of Purple.

The Selfish Alphabet.

The Great Leap Forward.

Why We Don't Write Etruscan.

The Limits to Growth.

Appendix 1.

Appendix 2.

Bibliography.

Acknowledgements.

Index.