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Summary: Never has someone so ignorant been so pedantic!
Review: Only purchase this book if you aren't particularly well-educated and would like to hear someone similarly ignorant prattle on about something she knows only a little bit about. Some of her "pet peeves" are actually based on wrong assumptions, but she doesn't understand grammar well enough to know it. It would be sad if it weren't so irritating. I much prefer nice people who kind-heartedly, accidentally use bad grammar to this pedantic, stuck-up author pushing her sub-par grammar on scores of innocent readers, shop keepers, and advertisers.
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Summary: Lola and Truss
Review: As someone who aced graduate grammar classes as a teen in college, I share some of the author's plaints. DVDs can't own anything. They have no DVD's. They can only be. But give us a break. There is more to writing than the piciune and cutsiepoo.Recently I found 19th century femme fatale Lola Montez in a book Healthy Beauty by Hadady (John Wiley & Sons). Lola's advice on appearance and character tops the Truss.
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Summary: Infectious Enthusiasm Yields an Amazing Bestseller
Review: With enthusiasm, wit, and knowledge, the author Lynne Truss creates this delightful and entertaining read on the use of punctuation. And as a bonus we actually enjoy the experience. It is not a trip to the dentist or "English grammar text" in any fashion. The reader is quickly captured and engrossed by the book, and temporarily forgets where they are, what is happening, and that one is being educated. The end result will be an improvement in your writing skills plus the enjoyable read. Truss is a writer and a critic for the Times of London and it follows that she is highly skilled in the use of written English. Her passion and personal angst are directed at the rest us - including even some of her fellow authors and critics - for the misuse of proper punctuation and our appalling writing skills. She gets quite upset by signs in stores that incorrectly announce "CD's, DVD's, Video's, and Book's." She is worried about the survival of proper punctuation in the age of the internet and wants us to take action to correct these errors such as returning and correcting bad e mails, or picketing stores, or attacking the offending signs in stores with red marker pens. As we can see, Truss's reaction to the improper use of punctuation can best be described as dramatic and humorous. In the book she introduces things like a talking apostrophe that is captured in awkward places. But also there are clear transgressions in the use of punctuation such the example of the pop band called "Hear'Say" which gives the author an elevated blood pressure. So it is fair to say that the author is quite passionate and enthusiastic about the use of punctuation marks and the subject of writing skills in general and she wants us to get involved as well. In addition to all the humor and many examples Truss manages to give us a quick history lesson in punctuation. It originated from the Greeks and has been modified through the ages by writers, scribes, and printers. She thinks clarity was introduced by the printer Aldus Manutius (1450-1515) and later his son and in her low-key way she "wants to have his babies". Furthermore she cites many excellent follow-up or reference books such as Robert Allen's "Punctuation" and R.W.Burchfield's "The New Fowler's Modern English Usage" both by Oxford University Press. She lists Bill Bryson's book "Mother Tongue" and she mentions Tim Austin's "The Times Guide to English Style and Usage" - both good books. Another book along the same line but a bit different and not cited by Truss - but I recommend - is the Simon Winchester book "The Meaning of Everything". This last book is about the evolution and the creation of the Oxford English Dictionary - the original (and now) 22 volume set that took almost 70 years to complete - and it is a good read and I highly recommend. So this present book by Truss can be a gateway to some other interesting reads while be great just on its own. This is a quick, fun, and delightful read and not a book to be missed. It is a short book, but one savors each word and every phrase like a good meal. Simply delightful! Good work by the author! Jack in Toronto
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Summary: Separated by a common language
Review: Churchill's description of the Brits and Americans permeates this terrific little book.
Many great anecdotes illustrate important punctuation issues;
however, we need an American version or we're doomed to more confusion.
How about a second edition?
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Summary: Not just for annoying grammar mavens
Review: I was absolutely prepared to hate this book-even some editors can't stand grammar and punctuation sticklers. But Lynne Truss quickly won me over with her charming blend of passion, humor and fascinating trivia. (Did you know the first Russian Revolution was sparked by printers angry over punctuation?) Even copy editors can learn from Truss's clear and common-sense explanation of punctuation marks and their usage, and her occasional lapses into wild-eyed orthodoxy are quickly forgiven. Only one major cavil: Truss seems to think the New Yorker is a model for American punctuation and usage. That's like using "Brideshead Revisted" as a primer on modern British life! What was once charming anachronism in the magazine's style has long since calcified into self-conscious pretension that gets in the way of appreciating a writer's work. It also seems strange that the publishers, in taking our American dollars, couldn't make the minor modifications necessary to conform to U.S. punctuation standards. But this is a very entertaining and informative book nonetheless, highly recommended to any reader.
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Summary: For a more useful version, consider 'Your Own Words'
Review: By chance, I've been reading another new book about the rights and wrongs of punctuation during the time 'Eats, Shoots' has been getting extensive press. I think that most readers would find this other book more interesting, and *much* more useful, than 'Eats.' The book is 'Your Own Words,' by Barbara Wallraff, who has written the 'Word Court' and 'Word Fugitives' columns in the Atlantic Monthly and elsewhere. I have first-hand experience applying Ms. Wallraff's style and usage precepts over the years, and I think readers who care about language will be glad to know what she has to say.
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Summary: Homeschooling moms take note!!!
Review: As a homeschooling mom I wanted to brush up on my grammar skills. This is the book that every homeschooling parent should read. Its not only educational but quite entertaining. You will enjoy the sense of humor in the book. It's also a great book for your high school student to brush up on their punctuation. A must for any homeschooling family library!!!
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Summary: Pedantic
Review: Yes, I know this is not a "grammar" book, but at least the chapters or paragraphs should have logical flow. Instead, not only were the sections set in a non-linear way (the line of thoughts were jumping around), moreover, I found the book to be colloquial and pedantic. To me, it's supposed to talk about punctuation, hence the chapters should have clearer headings as such. Within a chapter, the author would suddenly jump off at a tangent to discuss about spellings. And sometimes, the tone would lapse into a chit-chat manner. If this was supposed to "help" people improve their punctuation, spelling, grammar, whatever (sic), then I believe the style of the whole book should be consistent. I would give this 2.5 stars, but since there are no half-star in Amazon ratings, I gave it ***.
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Summary: I laughed so hard I couln't read...
Review: In (...) NY Times Sunday Book Review, Edmund Morris basically said that he didn't understand and didn't like Lynne Truss's book "Eats, Shoots & Leaves". (...). I (...) laughed so hard that I had tears in my eyes! I unequivocally, without any reservations whatsoever, enthusiastically and wholeheartedly recommend this books as the funniest book I've ever read. Don't wait: RUN to the nearest bookstore and buy it!
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Summary: For anal-retentives: such as, me; I say!
Review: There is precious little I can add to the excellent previous reviews that would illuminate this highly recommended volume other than stating that there should be some commentary made vis a vis the lack of punctuation in this sentence that would have been remedied had this sentence been an example used in the book to which I refer. Anyway, if you find yourself irate when seeing various ignorant punctuation transgressions, this book will allow you to chuckle and nod knowingly for a few hours. The text of the book is identical to the English version; there is a new preface and introduction. I assume this is because most Americans no longer speak English, and certainly can't write it, if standarized test results are indicative of our skills. I don't (contraction of "do not") think that anyone has mentioned the humor of the book's cover. This cover is, perhaps, the best example of graphic design coupled with packaged content I can recall. A panda is on a ladder, blotting out the apostrophe; a second panda, upright and exiting, holds a gun. Get it? No?
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