Writing degree zero, and Elements of semiology (Beacon paperback, 350)

Semiology is the science of signs and symbols, and their role in culture and society. <i>Writing Degree Zero</i> is Barthes' introduction to his field of study, the basic definitions required in the analysis of speech, language, writing and style, delivered with a poet's insight from one of France's most famous literary critics .<br> <br> In <i>Elements of Semiology</i> Barthes presented a concise scientific definition of Saussurean linguistics and their aftermath. Published in 1967, this is a key text in the study of 'structuralism', which at that time was a relatively new critical movement rapidly gaining an international following.