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Face with Tears of Joy
A Natural History of Emoji
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Brief 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. Named for the world's most popular pictogram, Face with Tears of Joy tells the whole story of emoji for the...
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See moreA vibrant exploration of the world's newest language—where it came from, how it works and where it's going
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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. Named for the world's most popular pictogram, Face with Tears of Joy tells the whole story of emoji for the first time.
In this rollicking tech and pop culture history, Keith Houston follows emoji from their birth in 1990s Japan, traces their Western explosion in the 2000s, and considers emoji's ever-expanding lexicon. Along the way, Houston explores vital developments in tech history and reveals the body of technocrats governing this 3,600-character language. He also addresses the eggplants in the room: risqué emojis, controversy, and accusations of "selling out."
Finally, readers learn about the future of emoji, as some of the language's pioneers consider what comes next. Face with Tears of Joy is a language- and tech-lover's delight, stuffed with gloriously nerdy details, illustrations, and fun.
Book Details
INFORMATION
ISBN: 9781324075141
Publisher: WW Norton & Co
Format: Paperback / softback
Date Published: 15 July 2025
Country: United States
Imprint: WW Norton & Co
Illustration: 30 illustrations
Audience: General / adult
DIMENSIONS
Spine width: 20.0mm
Width: 140.0mm
Height: 211.0mm
Weight: 327g
Pages: 288
About the Author
Keith Houston is the author of Face with Tears of Joy, Empire of the Sum, Shady Characters, and The Book. His writing has appeared in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, the Financial Times, and on Mental Floss, BBC Culture, and Literary Hub. He lives in Linlithgow, Scotland.
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