This is my personal page for my book, Why Q Needs U, published in the UK in October 2025 and lauded by The Economist as one of their books of the year! It’s my debut book, and hopefully the first of a few. Get your own copy here!
I am very keen to talk about this book! So please send any inquiries about opportunities to let me do that to: jaime@jpmarshall.co.uk
Reviews
A wonderful achievement! A breathtaking adventure through the alphabet – each letter a hero with a remarkable story to tell. An absolutely delightful read, filled with jewels of lightly worn scholarship and dazzling insight. I just couldn’t recommend it more highly.
Sir Stephen Fry
Why Q Needs U is a tremendously informative and entertaining biography of the letters of the alphabet that reveals surprising stories, makes astonishing connections, and unveils the very roots of the language we speak.
Dr Francis Young, scholar of history and religion, and author of Twilight of the Godlings and Silence of the Gods
The alphabet is a journey through time, and Danny Bate is a charming and erudite tour guide. If you read only one book about the alphabet I can enthusiastically recommend this one.
Dr Lauren Gawne, co-host of Lingthusiasm and Senior Lecturer in Linguistics at La Trobe University
Why Q needs U ably answers that question and many more about why our alphabet looks the way it does. Language enthusiasts will delight in spelling out the history of one letter per day.
Gretchen McCulloch, author of Because Internet and co-host of Lingthusiasm
Funny, smart, and totally absorbing, Bate’s words leap off the page and into your mind, convincing you that somehow you knew all about linguistics to begin with. A must read for all language lovers, and anyone who wants to win at pub trivia.
Dr Eleanor Janega, historian, author, co-host of the Gone Medieval podcast
Why Q Needs U is a book I wish for everyone. With an enthusiasm that jumps off the page, Danny Bate tells you things you didn’t know you always wanted to know. The book is bound to spark your interest if you’re new to linguistics, and if you’re familiar with the field, Why Q Needs U deepens your love for it.
Yoïn van Spijk, historical linguist and author of Die goeie ouwe taal
I have rarely read one more full of nourishment for the inner nerd … this lovely book
James McConnachie, writing for The Sunday Times
I liked the author’s positive approach to English spelling, seeking to understand it rather than despair of it! … I also enjoyed the small touches of humour and the bonus alliterative phrases … that helped to lighten what, in other hands, could have been a dense and heavy read … For anyone new to teaching spelling, Why Q Needs U would be a fantastic companion to a systematic description of the rules and patterns of present-day English…
Dr Katharine Barden, writing here for The Literacy Hub
In 26 brisk chapters he squeezes in a vivid portrait of each letter—but also much more than that. The book is a history of writing, a biography of the English language and an introduction to linguistic science, all smuggled into short, lively and entertaining stories … For those maddened, baffled or even, for some odd reason, enchanted by the eccentricities of the English language, this charming book will give some idea of how those letters got in the queue, if not exactly in line.
The Economist
About the book
Why Q Needs U is a linguistico-historical non-fiction book that I’ve written with a general audience in mind – a very general audience, really anyone who can speak and read English, and wants to get to know the language better!
It sets out to answer two big question:
- Where did we get the letters of the alphabet from?
- And why does English use them so strangely?
In my attempt at answering 1 and 2, I offer the reader a very deep dive into the 26 letters of the English alphabet, and indeed into the very act of writing itself. During the summer of 2024, I poured my mind and soul into this piece of work, and I’d now go as far as to say that I’m rather proud of it.
Why Q Needs U was published by Bonnier Books (imprint: Blink) in early October 2025. I’ll share updates here as soon as I have them. You can find a page with different retail links here: geni.us/WhyQNeedsU
Thank you for your support!
Danny L. Bate 