The Latin language has been the one constant in the cultural history of the West over two millennia—the foundation of our education, the terminology of science and law, and until recent decades, the liturgy of the Catholic Church. In his erudite and entertaining "biography" of Latin, linguist and philosopher Nicholas Ostler shows how and why this supposedly dead language survived and thrived even as its creators and other languages failed.
"Traveling with Ostler on his journey through Latin's history feels like being taken on a tour of a wonderfully interesting city by a person of fantastic erudition.... Ostler is never less than fascinating, ushering one down all kinds of picturesque side roads."—Guardian (UK)
