A History of Our Letters and How We Use Them

Over millennia, we humans have learned to love our letters. But how? And what if you invented writing from scratch? Join Dr Danny Bate, linguist and bestselling author of Why Q Needs U, on a journey into the history and science of writing things down.

In Why Q Needs U, he takes readers on a fascinating odyssey through the English alphabet, diving into history, archaeology, politics and linguistics to discover where we get our writing from. Sharing fun facts and revealing the alphabet’s hidden mechanisms, he explains where we get our letters from and why the English language uses them so strangely.

Tickets £10, booking essential
National Centre for Writing
what3words: areas.food.global

Acesss Information

National Centre for Writing is wheelchair accessible, with disabled toilets, hearing loop facilities and quiet spaces. For access information, please visit this page of National Centre for Writing's website. Essential companion tickets are available to book directly online.

About Danny

Dr Danny Bate is a linguist and writer. Since earning a PhD in 2024, he has committed himself to public linguistics – sharing his field with the public, such as through his bestselling debut book Why Q Needs U. He lives in Prague but is originally a Norfolk boy.

Programmed by National Centre for Writing for Norwich Science Festival