His new programme, The Written World, tells the international story of writing and its effect on human development. "Writing started in about 3500BC," said Bragg. "And what I find amusing is that it was probably started by a clerk who was tabulating goods going in and out of a market. In other words, we owe all literature to an accountant."

Not a lot of people know that.

People who read this post also read:

• Quote of the day: on greens
• A brief history of double entry book-keeping #2
• Sometimes Ritchie shoots himself in the foot
• Chess and accountancy
• That David Cameron family tax haven non-story in full

Filed under: Accounting, Other blogs with tags guardian, history, melvyn bragg, quote of the day, writing