Author(s): Kitty Burns Florey

Words and Ideas

Kitty Burns Florey is a self-confessed 'penmanship nut' who loves the act of taking pen to paper. So upon discovering that schools today forego handwriting drills, it gave her pause: 'There is a widespread belief that, in a digital world, forming letters on paper with a pen is pointless and obsolete.' Florey tackles the importance of writing by hand and its place in an increasingly electronic society in this fascinating exploration of the history of handwriting. Weaving together the evolution of writing, she asks the question: is writing by hand really no longer necessary?