As soon as we are out of the primordial matter, we are bound in a connective tissue that fills the hiatus between our dicontinuities, between our deaths and births, a collection of signs, articulated sounds, ideograms, morphemes, numbers, punched cards, magnetic tapes, tattoos, a system of communication that includes social relations, kinship, institutions, merchandise, advertising posters, napalm bombs, namely everything that is language, in the broad sense.The middle section of this book is very difficult to read. Just when think you've made some sense of the ideas, he moves on to something new before you have chance to structure your thoughts. If my memory serves me correctly (this is my second reading), the last section is the most enjoyable. Peter certainly seemed to think so. There's no doubt in my mind anymore that he is certainly one of my favourite authors. If you had a bookcase that contained only the work of Italo Calvino, Fyodor Dostoevsky and Douglas Adams, you'd need nothing else. All parts of your brain/soul would be satisfied.