The Codex Seraphinianus

[jynxxxedangel]

This is one of the most mysterious and fascinating books I have ever come across. Too bad it's so expensive, I would love to own a copy. It is like an encyclopaedia for a mysterious world, and the writing is all in some sort of yet-to-be translated glyphs. The pictures are absolutely fascinating, and otherworldly.

Be sure to leave this .pdf to download until it's finished, as it's HUGE.

Codex Seraphinianus .pdf

[Fidget(+)]

I would love to know what all that writing means...

[Head Wreck]

me too *takes headache pill*

[n0Mad]

Fuckin A, even the 2006 reprint is expensive. I wonder if Dover will ever pick up the softback rights, then you can get it for $15 or so. You can get the Voynich Manuscript cheaply, but it's nowhere near as beautiful as the Codex Seraphinianus.

[taysteewonderbunny]

The writing? According to the wiki on the subject, the writing might not mean anything at all. The page numbering system, though, is in a variation of base 21. So says the wiki artlcle.

[Onyx]

Very interesting. Beautiful book!

[jynxxxedangel]

To my very theoretical and analytical mind, I can't help but believe that all of the writing must mean something! Why would this man spend weeks/months/years writing nonsense, and in such lovely, neat script? All was done before the days of Photoshop, random-text macro programs, and copy-and-paste. There are repetitions of characters, syntax, and theme. This leads me to believe that there is an esoteric meaning to this book.

[taysteewonderbunny]

To my very theoretical and analytical mind, I can't help but believe that all of the writing must mean something! Why would this man spend weeks/months/years writing nonsense, and in such lovely, neat script? All was done before the days of Photoshop, random-text macro programs, and copy-and-paste. There are repetitions of characters, syntax, and theme. This leads me to believe that there is an esoteric meaning to this book.

I can believe that it is nonsensical. I believe the author's explanation below. But the mystery makes it more magical. Quote from the Wiki article linked in previous post, emphasis mine.

Writing system

The writing system (possibly a false writing system) appears modelled on ordinary Western-style writing systems (left-to-right writing in rows; an alphabet with uppercase and lowercase letters, some of which double as numerals) but is much more curvilinear, not unlike cursive Georgian in appearance. Some letters appear only at the beginning or at the end of words, a feature shared with Semitic writing systems. The language of the codex has defied complete analysis by linguists for decades. The number system used for numbering the pages, however, has been cracked (apparently independently) by Allan C. Wechsler^[2] and Bulgarian linguist Ivan Derzhanski,^[3] among others. It is a variation of base 21.^[4]. In a talk at the Oxford University Society of Bibliophiles held on May 8th 2009, Serafini has stated that the script of the Codex is asemic, that his own experience in writing it was closely similar to automatic writing, and that what he wanted his alphabet to convey to the 'reader' is the sensation that children feel in front of books they cannot yet understand, although they see that their writing does make sense for grown-ups.

[jynxxxedangel]

If that's truly the justification, he must have had terrible arthritis (and a profound case of terminal madness), by the time that book was finished.

[Simon Bar Sinister]

I'll wait for the movie, thx.

[taysteewonderbunny]

If that's truly the justification, he must have had terrible arthritis (and a profound case of terminal madness), by the time that book was finished.

Nobody said he wasn't a loon.