The Grammar of Angels: A Search for the Magical Powers of Language

The Grammar of Angels is a fascinating book that explores the life of Giovanni Pico della Mirandola, a 15th-century prince of learning, and his quest to find a philosophy that would transcend the mortal realm. It raises questions about the power of language to control the listener and join the ranks of the angels. Pico's ideas were dangerous in his day, suggesting that the notion of the individual might be an illusion. His tempestuous life was a testament to intellectual daring and human dignity.

Format: Hardback
Length: 288 pages
Publication date: 30 January 2025
Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers

Ingenious… a glorious portrait of the great 15th-century prince of learning Daily Telegraph A deeply fascinating, sui generis book by a brilliant scholar-writer,which uses the life story of a Renaissance prodigy to summon an angel-host of ideas,people and stories,all circling the question of language s ability to transcend the mortal realm Robert Macfarlane,bestselling author of Underland ________________________________ Does there exist a form of speech so powerful as to allow the speaker to control the listener,taking over their thoughts and even their will? Renaissance prodigy and polymath Giovanni Pico della Mirandola – the uncontested marvel of an age of true wonders – believed that there was. The Grammar of Angels tells how Pico dedicated his short,brilliant life to finding a philosophy that would settle the most important questions about human existence. This philosophy would,he believed,provide tools by which man could transcend his mortal limitations and join the ranks of the angels. At the heart of Picos ideas were questions that he traced through the breadth and depth of human thought,from the ancient Greeks and Egyptians to the medieval Arabs and Jews. He made use of everything at his disposal from Europes broadening horizons and asked primal questions of himself and the world. Why is it that we can be astonished by beauty? That the hairs on the backs of our necks can be made to stand by intoxicating rhythms and harmonies? That we can be provoked to ecstatic experiences by the simple means of an incantation? In 1486,when he was just twenty-three,he declared his intention to defend 900 theses on religion,philosophy,natural philosophy and magic against all comers and for which he wrote a speech that is often deemed the ‘man.

Weight: 506g
Dimension: 162 x 241 x 29 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9780008621797