Description
Description
We are surrounded by emoji. They appear in politics, movies, drug deals, our sex lives, and more. But emoji's impact has never been explored in full. In this rollicking tech and pop culture history, Keith Houston follows emoji from its birth in 1990s Japan, traces its Western explosion in the 2000s, and considers emoji's ever-expanding lexicon. Named for the world's most popular pictogram, Face with Tears of Joy tells the whole story of emoji for the first time.
Critical Reviews
Critical Reviews
Houston's enthusiasm for the emoji's creativity, use, and function comes to the fore, and reading the book feels like grabbing a coffee with a friend and listening to them happily describe their most recent interests and discoveries.--Monique Martinez "Library Journal"
Houston knows that any language whose mascot is a smiling poop pile can be treated only so seriously, so the text is charmingly filled with emoji as illustrations and within sentences, making it both a product of a new way of communicating as well as a study of it. A pleasurable and well-researched journey into pop iconography.-- "Kirkus Reviews"
[A] fun romp through the evolution of digital language...this is equal parts informative and delightful.-- "Publishers Weekly"
Publishing Information
Publishing Information
Publisher:
W. W. Norton & Company
Pub date:
2025-07-01
Length:
288 pages

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