The World's Writing Systems

Peter Swiggers, Orbis This book fills a major gap in the list of standard works in linguistics

Verbatim This is truly an impressive-looking tome, persuading one that it is complete and authoritative...not only a comprehensive treatment of a subject by an authority but a detailed description of the palce the section has in the general scheme of representing ideas by sqiggles on apage, rock, or tablet...essential addition to the library of anyone interested in or involved in any of the myriad aspects of language. both as a fascinating browsing book nad as an important reference work.

The Times Higher Education Supplement each section contains a useful sample of writing accompanied by phonetic values, glosses and a translation, all of which provide a good background before one reads the relevent section...various sections present an almost overwhelming amount of material...this book is without an invaluable source for introducing the phonetic, linguistic and orthographical principles governing the writing on tablets, papyri, stones and bones that we see in museums and libraries around the world.

Times Literary Supplement without question the most comprehensive work ever published on this subject

Chad Hansen, University of Hong Kong, The Journal of Asian Studies, Vol. 56.1 The very idea of this book is exciting. Imagine describing and illustrating nearly all writing systems in history in one volume! As the editors note, the development of computer-assisted publishing and typesetting made this wonder possible. The result is satisfying.

The Journal of Asian Studies, vol.56.1 The very idea of this book is exciting. ... the development of computer-assisted publishing and typesetting made this wonder possible. The result is satisfying.

clearly the most comprehensive treatment of writing systems available. / Richard Sproat, Written Language and Literacy, Vol 1 (1), 1998