1st Edition
Alpha to Omega The Life and Times of the Greek Alphabet
Originally published in 1981, Alpha to Omega is divided into twenty-four sections, each of which examines one letter of the Greek alphabet, looking at English words that come from Greek words beginning with the letter under discussion, and exploring the aspects of Greek culture behind the borrowed words. It also includes an examination of letters that were discarded from the Greek alphabet.
Prologue. A Note on Transliteration. Alpha. Beta. Gamma. Delta. Epsilon. Zeta. Eta. Theta. Iota. Kappa. Lambda. Mu. Nu. Ksi. Omicron. Pi. Rho. Sigma. Tau. Upsilon. Phi. Chi. Psi. Omega. Dead Letters. Bibliophilia. I ndex.
Biography
Frequent collaborators, Alexander and Nicholas Humez have coauthored several books exploring language and languages, both classical and modern. Separately, Alexander has worked as a lexicographer and technical writer, while Nicholas has been a featured columnist as both language specialist and music critic. Together, composer (Nicholas) and lyricist (Alexander) have written three chamber operas and numerous art songs.
Reviews for the original edition:
“Touring with great good humor, the Humez brothers explore the Greek alphabet and the roots of our own world.” – Los Angeles Times
“… a kind of thinking man’s Book of Lists.” – Erich Segal, The New York Times Book Review
“As one who never had any instructions in Greek, I found this a novel idea and a thoroughly pleasant way to learn about the contributions of Greek to our language and our lives.” – Edwin Newman, author of A Civil Tongue and Strictly Speaking
“… fresh and interesting. A painless, good-humored refresher in history, mythology, economics, warfare, literature, and language….” – Philadelphia Inquirer
“Trivia lovers and classicists alike will find this an inspiring introduction into the world of the Greeks.” – Los Angeles Herald Examiner
“… witty, slightly irreverent, and thoroughly delightful … the book is great fun.” – Baltimore Sun
