Omniglot book store

Reading and Writing Chinese: A Guide to the Chinese Writing System

by William McNaughton and Li Ying

- introduces 2,000 Chinese characters with their Mandarin pronunciation in pinyin romanization, stroke order, English meaning and some sample compound words for each character. Concentrates on tradiational characters, though shows simplified characters as well when they differ from the traditional ones.

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Understanding Chinese Characters by Their Ancestral Forms

by Gam Go and Ping-Gam Go

- explains 288 common Chinese characters on the basis of their ancestral forms. Also includes 72 color photographs taken in San Francisco's Chinatown to show actual usage.

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Fun with Chinese Characters

by Tan Huay Peng

- tells a little story, complete with cartoon-like illustrations, to help you remember each character. Also gives examples of usage for each character.

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Chinese Characters: A Genealogy and Dictionary

by Rick Harbaugh (Editor)

- a dictionary that groups characters by phonetic elements.

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The Art of Chinese Calligraphy

by Jean Long

- includes an overview of the history of calligraphy in China, details of how the characters are put together, and step-by-step instructions on how to write some of them.

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The Art of Chinese Calligraphy

by Melanie Votaw

- a basic introduction to Chinese calligraphy which comes with an instruction book, brushes, paper, ink, inkstone and all the other tools you need.

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Ideogram: Chinese Characters and the Myth of Disembodied Meaning

by Marshall J. Unger

- in this book the author demonstrates convincingly and entertainingly that Chinese characters do not convey meaning directly without any reference to specific languages and cultural contexts as many people believe.

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Chinese Calligraphy: From Pictograph to Ideogram: The History of 214 Essential Chinese/Japanese Characters

by Edoardo Fazzioli

- a richly illustrated handbook of the most essential Chinese characters, offering a unique perspective on the history and philosophy of an ancient culture.

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The Eater's Guide to Chinese Characters

by James D. McCawley

- an invaluable book for anyone who regularly eats at Chinese resaurants. Helps you to decipher the Chinese characters on the menus and explains the dishes so that you know what you're eating (not always a good idea!).

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The Chinese Language - Fact and Fantasy

by John DeFrancis

- a fascinating account of written and spoken Chinese which debunks many myths and misconceptions. Essential reading for anyone interested in the Chinese language.

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Cantonese as Written Language: The Growth of a Written Chinese Vernacular

by Don Snow

- discusses the development of written Cantonese from 19th century poetry to contemporary usage in magazines and newspaper columns.

Buy from: Amazon.co.uk