The Devil's Details: A History Of Footnotes (2003) - Plot & Excerpts
This book does for footnotes what Lynne Truss did for punctuation, what John Pollack did for puns, and what Simon Garfield did for fonts. It explores the genesis, history, various roles and somewhat uncertain future of the lowly yet unconquerable footnote. Zerby adopts a chatty yet somewhat curmudgeonly tone which is perfect for the topic. His prose is laced with erudition, memorable anecdotes, enthusiasm, humor--and yes, lots and lots of footnotes. He asks questions such as: What are the different uses which have been made of the footnote? Why are some notes relegated to the back of the book? Why are footnotes looked down on in poetry, whereas they may be used in prose? Will the footnote survive the onslaught of the Internet? The mistrust of the Internet strikes this reviewer as somewhat dated.* And yet... the author's concerns about the fluidity, impermanence and superficial uses of cyberspace are somehow still relevant. *Keep in mind that this was first published in 2001. (You didn't think I was going to review a book on footnotes without making one of my own, did you?)
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