Hyphen by Pardis Mahdavi

A history of a humble grammatical marker, the hyphen, that explores how it evolved orthographically and typographically as well as the powerful role it has come to place in identity and sexual politics.

To hyphenate or not to hyphenate has been a central point of controversy since before the imprinting of the first Gutenberg Bible. And yet, the hyphen has persisted, bringing and bridging new words and concepts.

Hyphen follows the story of the hyphen from antiquity. "Hyphen" is derived from an ancient Greek word meaning "to tie together" to the present, but also uncovers the politics of the hyphen and the role it plays in creating identities. The journey of this humble piece of connective punctuation reveals the quiet power of an orthographic concept to speak to the travails of hyphenated individuals all over the world. Hyphen is ultimately a compelling story about the powerful ways that language and identity intertwine.

Mahdavi herself a hyphenated Iranian-American weaves in her own experiences struggling to find a sense of self amidst feelings of betwixt and between. Through stories of the author and three other individuals, Hyphen collectively considers how to navigate, articulate, and empower new identities.

Object Lessons is a series of short, beautifully designed books about the hidden lives of ordinary things. It is published in partnership with an essay series in The Atlantic.

ISBN: 9781501373909 | Published: 19 August 2021 | Paperback | 160 pages