The sequence of letters represented by the alphabet is so universally accepted that >from A to Z< stands as a metaphor for completeness. But how did each letter find its place in this chain? In a survey ranging from Sumerian cuneiform to modern code tables, K|ster unfolds the history of our alphabet as reflected in the sequences of letters and the various uses made of them. In so doing, he outlines the cultural history of the elementary knowledge on which our literacy is based. The result is a profound study of grammatology full of important insights for linguistics, semiotics, and cultural studies.