“Listen to this", the astounding history of quotation marks

by Ruth Finnegan

Read about the centuries-long history and rationale behind quotation marks. You’d never guess ... Uncovered for you in a stunning piece of detective work.

Astounding.

No need to feel hesitant ever again about how to use them, or which version to insert - for once you know why, you know how :-)

92 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 6, 2020

About the author

See

http://garnpress.com/authors/ruth-fin...

http://garnpress.com/2016/garn-press-...

Reviews

[Kat R · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such an intriguing read! Ruth Finnegan has written a great book on “The Astounding History of Quotation Marks” (and yes Ruth, funnily enough, I hesitated using those quotation marks myself!)

This book kicks off with a great introduction that keeps you interested from the get go. If you have a curious mind such as myself, you will find this read an absolute gem. Finnegan dives into a deep analysis of the history of quotation marks; how they came about, what they have been used for over time, and contemplates if we really need to use them today. The overview of the origination of quotation marks is something I never would have thought I’d be reading about, for sure. I also found that it concluded well and I was left pondering some questions but in a satisfying way.

I personally found that I required a bit of concentration to focus on some parts of the book as it is so in depth, so it’s not an easy read. I did find it a really rewarding feeling finishing the book knowing what I know now though. Some more great aspects of the book are the figures that a referenced and that it’s chapters don’t drag on forever, so I felt like it had decently timed breaks. It also has some thought-provoking discussion points at the end of the book – which in turn would make this a great resource for English/Writing students or writers in general for that matter.

I highly recommend this book for avid readers, people with a curious mind, and history buffs who would love this kind of read.

[Jefferson · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Astounding History of Quotation Marks by Ruth Finnegan is a foray into an info-filled journey full of history. Finnegan makes an effort to really educate the reader, showing how this simple grammatical symbol has transformed into a very useful part of our language. She takes her time to tell the reader different interesting facts of the quotation mark without overwhelming them with high-level knowledge. Sometimes I feel the author takes too much time referencing older works, but it does become helpful throughout the course of the book when explaining how to use these marks. Overall, however, the book was very interesting and I liked reading it. The overuse of examples is forgivable, and this would be an interesting addition to anyone’s bookshelf. I give this book a 5 out of 5.