Keith Houston
@shadycharacters.co.uk
Keith Houston's blog about unusual marks of punctuation. Author of SHADY CHARACTERS, THE BOOK, EMPIRE OF THE SUM and now FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY: A NATURAL HISTORY OF EMOJI (https://shadycharacters.co.uk/books/).
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Keith Houston
@shadycharacters.co.uk
· Aug 22
“Face with Tears of Joy” is having a launch party! I’ll be at Linlithgow’s best bookshop, Far From the Madding Crowd, at 6.30pm on Wednesday October 15th for drinks, snacks, and maybe even a reading from the book.
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and I look forward to seeing you there!
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and I look forward to seeing you there!
Day 10, and it's the final day of the 2025 Shady Characters advent calendar. Thank you for sticking with me! And on the subject of gratitude, here's my final post for the year, on PERSON WITH FOLDED HANDS (🙏): shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... for all previous entries!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... for all previous entries!
December 23, 2025 at 8:10 PM
Day 10, and it's the final day of the 2025 Shady Characters advent calendar. Thank you for sticking with me! And on the subject of gratitude, here's my final post for the year, on PERSON WITH FOLDED HANDS (🙏): shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... for all previous entries!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... for all previous entries!
🎄 If, like me, you still need to find a few more Christmas gifts to give, may I humbly propose the ebook and audio editions of my books? They're perfect as last-minute gifts! Follow the thread for links.
December 22, 2025 at 3:05 PM
🎄 If, like me, you still need to find a few more Christmas gifts to give, may I humbly propose the ebook and audio editions of my books? They're perfect as last-minute gifts! Follow the thread for links.
Day 9! Home stretch, and you would be forgiven for being a little tired of the Christmas rush by now. A good time, then, to examine FACE WITH BAGS UNDER EYES (): shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '👍', '✨' and '🕴️'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '👍', '✨' and '🕴️'!
December 21, 2025 at 7:50 PM
Day 9! Home stretch, and you would be forgiven for being a little tired of the Christmas rush by now. A good time, then, to examine FACE WITH BAGS UNDER EYES (): shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '👍', '✨' and '🕴️'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '👍', '✨' and '🕴️'!
Day 8 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Some lucky kids might expect Santa to bring them a water pistol (🔫), but the corresponding emoji is anything but playful: shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '🍔', '✨', '🏳️🌈' and '🕴️'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '🍔', '✨', '🏳️🌈' and '🕴️'!
December 19, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Day 8 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Some lucky kids might expect Santa to bring them a water pistol (🔫), but the corresponding emoji is anything but playful: shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '🍔', '✨', '🏳️🌈' and '🕴️'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '🍔', '✨', '🏳️🌈' and '🕴️'!
On day 7 of the Shady Characters advent calendar, why, precisely, do we have an emoji called PERSON IN SUIT LEVITATING (🕴️)? The story is here: shadycharacters.co.u...
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍', '✨' and '🏳️🌈'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍', '✨' and '🏳️🌈'!
December 17, 2025 at 7:45 PM
On day 7 of the Shady Characters advent calendar, why, precisely, do we have an emoji called PERSON IN SUIT LEVITATING (🕴️)? The story is here: shadycharacters.co.u...
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍', '✨' and '🏳️🌈'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍', '✨' and '🏳️🌈'!
Day 6 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Time is flying. Today's entry looks at RAINBOW FLAG (🏳️🌈) - an emoji so potent it once left crashed iPhones in its wake: shadycharacters.co.u...
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍' and ''✨!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍' and ''✨!
December 15, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Day 6 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Time is flying. Today's entry looks at RAINBOW FLAG (🏳️🌈) - an emoji so potent it once left crashed iPhones in its wake: shadycharacters.co.u...
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍' and ''✨!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔', '👍' and ''✨!
It's day 5 of the ✨Shady Characters✨ advent calendar! And what better way to mark the occasion than to take a look at the SPARKLES emoji's controversial new job? Read more at shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔' and '👍'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔' and '👍'!
December 13, 2025 at 7:50 PM
It's day 5 of the ✨Shady Characters✨ advent calendar! And what better way to mark the occasion than to take a look at the SPARKLES emoji's controversial new job? Read more at shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔' and '👍'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️', '🍔' and '👍'!
We're at day 4 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Fun, right? Whether you mentally replied with a '👍' or recoiled at the idea of doing so, you'll want to read today's entry: shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️' and '🍔'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️' and '🍔'!
December 11, 2025 at 6:38 PM
We're at day 4 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Fun, right? Whether you mentally replied with a '👍' or recoiled at the idea of doing so, you'll want to read today's entry: shadycharacters.co.u....
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️' and '🍔'!
Check out shadycharacters.co.u... to see previous entries, including '😂', '♨️' and '🍔'!
Day 3 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! An unassuming emoji today, in the form of the HAMBURGER (🍔), but one which can teach us a surprising amount about how the emoji sausage is made, so to speak: shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1 or day 2, check out shadycharacters.co.u...!
If you missed day 1 or day 2, check out shadycharacters.co.u...!
December 9, 2025 at 7:45 PM
Day 3 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! An unassuming emoji today, in the form of the HAMBURGER (🍔), but one which can teach us a surprising amount about how the emoji sausage is made, so to speak: shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1 or day 2, check out shadycharacters.co.u...!
If you missed day 1 or day 2, check out shadycharacters.co.u...!
It's day 2 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Today we're taking a look at this guy (♨️). Care to guess what it is? shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1, where we looked at the faded icon that is FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), you can find it here: shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1, where we looked at the faded icon that is FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), you can find it here: shadycharacters.co.u....
December 7, 2025 at 7:47 PM
It's day 2 of the Shady Characters advent calendar! Today we're taking a look at this guy (♨️). Care to guess what it is? shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1, where we looked at the faded icon that is FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), you can find it here: shadycharacters.co.u....
If you missed day 1, where we looked at the faded icon that is FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), you can find it here: shadycharacters.co.u....
It's time for the 2025 Shady Characters advent calendar! I'm counting down to Christmas with ten of the most interesting, controversial and odd emoji to have appeared on our screens. We're getting started with FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), which you can read about here: shadycharacters.co.u....
December 5, 2025 at 7:54 PM
It's time for the 2025 Shady Characters advent calendar! I'm counting down to Christmas with ten of the most interesting, controversial and odd emoji to have appeared on our screens. We're getting started with FACE WITH TEARS OF JOY (😂), which you can read about here: shadycharacters.co.u....
These are amazing! (And, of course, I have a related book to sell! Check out “Empire of the Sum” for the story of how calculator watches got started in the first place: shadycharacters.co.uk/books/empire... .)
December 5, 2025 at 4:35 PM
These are amazing! (And, of course, I have a related book to sell! Check out “Empire of the Sum” for the story of how calculator watches got started in the first place: shadycharacters.co.uk/books/empire... .)
Reposted by Keith Houston
Ten years ago, the OED’s word of the year was “😂”.
If this is a word, is ‘emoji’ a language?
@keithhouston.bsky.social’s interesting exploration of the question takes us along a literary translation (Emoji Dick), the challenge of universality and more:
buff.ly/D00WGXr
If this is a word, is ‘emoji’ a language?
@keithhouston.bsky.social’s interesting exploration of the question takes us along a literary translation (Emoji Dick), the challenge of universality and more:
buff.ly/D00WGXr
December 4, 2025 at 5:35 PM
Ten years ago, the OED’s word of the year was “😂”.
If this is a word, is ‘emoji’ a language?
@keithhouston.bsky.social’s interesting exploration of the question takes us along a literary translation (Emoji Dick), the challenge of universality and more:
buff.ly/D00WGXr
If this is a word, is ‘emoji’ a language?
@keithhouston.bsky.social’s interesting exploration of the question takes us along a literary translation (Emoji Dick), the challenge of universality and more:
buff.ly/D00WGXr
Happy World Linguistics Day from Linlithgow, Scotland!
Happy World Linguistics Day from Montreal, Canada!
(I wonder how many different places we can get world linguistics day wishes from this year!)
(I wonder how many different places we can get world linguistics day wishes from this year!)
Happy World Linguistics Day from Melbourne, Australia!
November 26, 2025 at 9:36 AM
Happy World Linguistics Day from Linlithgow, Scotland!
I was browsing the Emojipedia blog archives this evening for a forthcoming project, and I was reminded of a conversation Keith Broni and I had earlier this year (blog.emojipedia.org/...) about the history of emoji. It's a great companion piece to "Face with Tears of Joy" (shadycharacters.co.u...)!
Major Moments In Emoji History: 1995* to 2025
Yesterday, as part of our World Emoji Day 2025 celebrations, we published a detailed history of the Twemoji emoji design set. Now, we’re discussing broader emoji history with Keith Houston, author of the newly released "Face with Tears of Joy: A Natural History of Emoji".
blog.emojipedia.org
November 24, 2025 at 6:39 PM
I was browsing the Emojipedia blog archives this evening for a forthcoming project, and I was reminded of a conversation Keith Broni and I had earlier this year (blog.emojipedia.org/...) about the history of emoji. It's a great companion piece to "Face with Tears of Joy" (shadycharacters.co.u...)!
Reposted by Keith Houston
Impossible how good reading is. You mean I just point my face at the paper for a bit and it does a whole update on my brain?
November 23, 2025 at 1:52 PM
Impossible how good reading is. You mean I just point my face at the paper for a bit and it does a whole update on my brain?
A question for any web developers reading: what's the canonical way to move off WordPress?
November 10, 2025 at 12:50 PM
A question for any web developers reading: what's the canonical way to move off WordPress?
From the Shady Characters archive, journey back to where it all began! Read about the life, death, and afterlife of the pilcrow (¶), or paragraph mark: shadycharacters.co.u....
(Image courtesy of the of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: search.digital-scrip....)
(Image courtesy of the of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: search.digital-scrip....)
October 19, 2025 at 5:24 PM
From the Shady Characters archive, journey back to where it all began! Read about the life, death, and afterlife of the pilcrow (¶), or paragraph mark: shadycharacters.co.u....
(Image courtesy of the of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: search.digital-scrip....)
(Image courtesy of the of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art: search.digital-scrip....)
Super niche, but I like it. (Readers of “Shady Characters” will already know what a manicule is, of course!)
spidermanicule
#EarlyModern meme! #BookHistory
October 11, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Super niche, but I like it. (Readers of “Shady Characters” will already know what a manicule is, of course!)
It’s almost here! “Face with Tears of Joy” is having a launch party at Linlithgow’s best bookshop, Far From the Madding Crowd, at 6.30pm on Wednesday October 15th. Join us for drinks, snacks, chat, and a reading from the book.
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and see you there!
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and see you there!
October 8, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It’s almost here! “Face with Tears of Joy” is having a launch party at Linlithgow’s best bookshop, Far From the Madding Crowd, at 6.30pm on Wednesday October 15th. Join us for drinks, snacks, chat, and a reading from the book.
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and see you there!
Get the details at shadycharacters.co.u..., and see you there!
Reposted by Keith Houston
I’ll be unable to work at all for a few weeks, then at reduced capability for several weeks. I would never ask for charity when so many people are desperately in need of aid in the world. But I do write and publish books that make great birthday and holiday gifts—for yourself and others.
October 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
I’ll be unable to work at all for a few weeks, then at reduced capability for several weeks. I would never ask for charity when so many people are desperately in need of aid in the world. But I do write and publish books that make great birthday and holiday gifts—for yourself and others.
Reposted by Keith Houston
Hi, folks, a little personal news. In mid-November, I'm getting my aortic valve replaced via open-heart surgery. As scary as that sounds, my prognosis is excellent. This is fairly personal health news, and I'm posting publicly for two reasons.
October 7, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Hi, folks, a little personal news. In mid-November, I'm getting my aortic valve replaced via open-heart surgery. As scary as that sounds, my prognosis is excellent. This is fairly personal health news, and I'm posting publicly for two reasons.
If you've ever wanted to know why I got into writing, or to hear a little bit about the process behind writing my books, you might enjoy this episode of Kelly Provenzano's podcast, “Paper Places”: www.relay.fm/paperpl....
Paper Places #18: Finding Your Process, with Keith Houston - Relay
In this episode, Kerry sits down with Keith Houston to talk about the practicalities of writing alongside another job, finding your process and how deadlines are catalysts for getting your project completed.
www.relay.fm
September 26, 2025 at 7:11 PM
If you've ever wanted to know why I got into writing, or to hear a little bit about the process behind writing my books, you might enjoy this episode of Kelly Provenzano's podcast, “Paper Places”: www.relay.fm/paperpl....
Podcasts! I recently recorded two of them, in fact, courtesy of Mignon Fogarty, also known as Grammar Girl (bsky.app/profile/gra...). Head over to Shady Characters for links: shadycharacters.co.u....
September 15, 2025 at 7:17 PM
Podcasts! I recently recorded two of them, in fact, courtesy of Mignon Fogarty, also known as Grammar Girl (bsky.app/profile/gra...). Head over to Shady Characters for links: shadycharacters.co.u....
It's the 8th of September, which means (of course) that it is National Ampersand Day! This year is even more special, because it's ten years since Chaz DeSimone founded this world-renowned and not at all tongue-in-cheek celebration of the '&' (www.nationaldaycalen...).
September 8, 2025 at 6:21 PM
It's the 8th of September, which means (of course) that it is National Ampersand Day! This year is even more special, because it's ten years since Chaz DeSimone founded this world-renowned and not at all tongue-in-cheek celebration of the '&' (www.nationaldaycalen...).