Journal Entry 1 by rapturina from Yantai, Shandong China on Tuesday, February 06, 2007

A very interesting read if you're interested in history and languages!

From the backflap:
"The history of language is also a history of its speakers, reflecting the power, culture, conquests, prestige and occassionally the declining fortunes of its users. Through this study of its languages, we find a potted history of the world itself.

Empires of the Word is the first and only book to recount this remarkable story in all its glorious variety. It reveals the amazing innovations in education, culture and diplomacy devised by speakers in the Middle East; surveys the uncanny resilience of Chinese throughout twenty centuries of invasions; charts the progress of Sanskrit from northIndia to Java and Japan; describes the struggle that gave birth to the languages of modern Europe; and measures the global spread of English. And it shows us that the languages of the future will, like the languages of the past, be full of surprises."

Going to Niora as part of a trade, in the mail as of Feb. 26th! 

Journal Entry 2 by Niora from Joensuu, Pohjois-Karjala Finland on Wednesday, March 07, 2007

I received this in the mail today. Thanks for sending me such a large book, rapturina! :-) It looks fascinating, I hope I'll have time to absorb myself in it sometime reasonably soon. Will comment then.