The Story of the Alphabet

"The Story of the Alphabet" by Otto F. Ege is a historical account written in the early 20th century. The book explores the evolution and development of the alphabet, tracing its origins from ancient civilizations to the modern day. It delves into the significance of the alphabet in transitioning society from barbarism to civilization and discusses how various alphabets influenced one another over time. In this work, Ege meticulously documents the history of each letter in the alphabet, detailing their origins, transformations, and meanings. He explains how the Phoenicians developed a systematic alphabet of 22 characters, emphasizing a sound-based writing system that laid the groundwork for later adaptations by the Greeks and Romans. Each letter is associated with visual symbols from the ancient world, alongside anecdotes demonstrating how their shapes and names evolved through cultures and time. Overall, the book serves as an insightful resource for anyone interested in the foundations of written language and the cultural history embedded within our modern alphabet. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Otto F. Ege (1888–1951) was a teacher, lecturer, bookseller, and well-known book-breaker. He worked for many years at the Cleveland Institute of Art where he served as Chair of the Department of Teacher Training, instructor of Lettering, Layout, and Typography, and Dean. He was also employed by the School of Library Science at Case Western Reserve University as a lecturer on the History of the Book, and instructor of History and Art of the Book.