Rating: 
Summary: Good grammar ain't always good usage
Review: Patricia O'Conner's book about the fundamentals of English grammar is both down-to-earth and fun to read. A sampling of some of the topics covered in this volume are the misuse of common English words; the overuse of cliches; the plurals dilemma, and the Great Pronoun Problem (I'm always confused about whether to use "that" or "which"). O'Conner points out that some of the biggest grammatical blunders have resulted from trying to be too correct, such as the classic misuse of subject for object pronouns. Remember your fourth grade teacher admonishing that one should always say "Tom and I", never "Tom and me"? which lead to such common bloopers as "She gave the book to Tom and I". (To see how much sense this doesn't make, take out the "Tom and" and see what's left.) Along with explaining the rules, O'Conner emphasizes that a dose of common sense helps matters considerably. I remember my fifth grade grammar teacher, an old battle-axe who used to scare the daylights out of us, laying down the law that one must never, ever, ever end a sentence with a preposition. This used to lead to all kinds of convoluted messes, which undoubtedly engendered Winston Churchill's classic protest statement, "This is the sort of English up with which I will not put." The book's title is a sly kick at the perils of grammatical over-correctness: it should actually be "Woe Am I", but that just wouldn't sound right. Perhaps the greatest strength of the English language is its flexibility; some rules were made to be bent. O'Conner's book helps to shed some light on how far rules can be bent before they are broken.
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Summary: Grammar Crash Course with Fun
Review: Patricia T O'Conner's "Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English" is yet another attempt at explaining the intricacies of English grammar to the general audience using the non-scientific approach. And it surely is a very good one.
The author made it her aim to throw light on some of the most troublesome areas of English grammar, which present certain difficulty not only to a foreigner learning the language, but firstly to those for whom English is a mother tongue. American writers have always been interested in this field, obviously trying to raise the literacy standards while at the same time simplifying the language structure and how it is presented. This book is certainly a crash course in English grammar for those literacy-handicapped and verbally-challenged types of people walking along the streets of New York and London. It is also a useful tool for semi-literate people, who find it easy to converse in the streets and family circles, but might find themselves ill at ease when required to write a grammatically correct piece or speak in front of the senior public. It is also a great and funny manual for the literate persons who may still have some gaps in their language use. We all may have them some time or other. O'Conner's guide lets all of us upholster our speech and add a more correct flavour to it.
Ten chapters of the book are devoted to ten most problematic areas of English grammar: pronouns, numbers, possessives, verbs and their moods and tenses, confused words, punctuation, cliches, grammar stereotypes, etc. Whether you are confused by `that/which/who/whom'-problem or are not totally sure where to put an apostrophe in the genitive (i.e. possessive), whether you are completely bewitched by the English punctuation rules and wondering if they exist at all, or if you haven't been able to quite agree your subjects and predicates (i.e. nouns and verbs, in most cases) - "Woe Is I" is a book for you.
You can read it from cover to cover, thoroughly studying the rules; or you can use it as sort of a grammar guide-book, which you consult in case of trouble. In any case, it will give you both food for thought and plenty of reasons to laugh. Yes, you will laugh at the way Patricia O'Conner deals with grammar stereotypes or those corners of English grammar that have always been sacred to us, and that we used to consider as the terra incognita for the wider public. There is no more need for you to tremble each time you have to write a formal letter, deliver a speech or simply address a university professor of English. Believe me, they do mistakes themselves; or sometimes they adhere to some "no-go"-s that O'Conner safely buries in the annals of language history.
Surely we can disagree with some points, like discarding several useful cliches, or oversimplifying certain aspects of English grammar. But then "Woe Is I" is neither a textbook for students of English (though they can also find it very helpful), nor a serious treatise of smallish grammar ghosts - it is a plain guide to how to make our speech more correct and how to make us feel better about what we say, or, rather, how we put it in words and sentences.
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Summary: Even grammar-freaks will be surprised
Review: That guy is hot! That guy is cool! Hot and cool are opposites, yet they mean the same thing when talking about that guy. My Polish grandmother is going to polish her silverware. Amazing what a difference a capital P makes. The knight rides at night in the rain and gets pneumonia. Here we go again with weird English usage. Kn, n, and pn are pronounced the same.
English has many rules not found in other languages. For instance, most languages use articles with every noun. A, an, and the aren't always chaperoning the nouns, which is a challenge for non-native English speakers to learn.
English speakers are no help when they get their own language wrong. For example, many use anxious and eager interchangeably. When you're excited and can't wait to do something, you're eager. Anxious means feeling nervous where there is anxiety. If a child says, "I'm anxious about going to school," is she looking forward to it or is she uneasy about it? It's the latter.
The book covers this and other problems in the "Verbal Abuse" chapter. The infamous lie and lay; who and whom; farther and further; and bad and badly are covered. Did you know hopefully is used incorrectly? I've been guilty of it and it's hard changing the habit because it fits at the beginning of a sentence or acts like an introductory word. While we can start sentences with actually, thoughtfully, and happily; hopefully doesn't belong with the introductory clique. It's an adverb. O'Conner writes, "...introductory words that we use not to describe a word, which is what adverbs usually do, but to describe our own attitude to the statement that follows."
Would you believe that saying, "I'm nauseous" is incorrect? Well, if it's true, it means you make other people nauseated. Nauseous is the something that makes you sick. Those suffering from morning sickness say, "I'm nauseated from the nauseous pregnancy (or coffee smell, perfume, or whatever causes it)."
O'Conner does a fine job of clarifying the problems and explaining the correct usage. In a few places, the explanation isn't suitable and the reader might not understand how to do it right after reading it.
With chapter titles like "Therapy for Pronoun Anxiety," "Comma Sutra," and "The Possessives and the Possessed," it's easy to infer the book adds a dash of humor. Having written a few articles on grammar with humor to make it fun and easier to remember, I've learned how hard it is to do it. Don't expect to fall down laughing, but look forward to a smile here and there.
Final lesson: If the word is singular, add 's regardless of its ending including proper names like Alex's and Alexis'. Yet, a few pages later, the book indicates it's customary to drop the final s when using possessives in ancient classical names like Hercules' and Achilles'. Don't you love the English language?
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Summary: A funny & provocative Elements of Style
Review: This is a great book. It sits right next to my copy of Strunk & White's Elements of Style. The book covers much of the same territory, but in a humorously delightful manner.I especially enjoyed Chapter 9 - The Living Dead. It is a list of "rules" I learned in grade school that are no longer relevant, such as "Don't split an infinitive," and the book's namesake, "Use It is I, not It is me." So if it's pronouns, adverbs or punctuation that get you down, grab rhis book. You'll have fun learning about the dynamic inner workings of English grammar.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent for anyone, be ye careless or careful...
Review: This is a superbly executed book on the common errors and blunders English speakers make every day, and those we are bothered by day and night. Everything is described in a very down-to-earth manner...humor abounds here. P.T. O'Conner never fails to please in her witty explanations. The only fault I have to mention is that on the last printed page of the book, in Ms. O'Conner's mini-biography, it states she "lives in Connecticut." However, on the back flap, in her somewhat (but not immensely) more extensive mini-biography, it says she "lives in New York City..." Strange, baffling...But 5 stars nonetheless.
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Summary: I loved this book!
Review: This is an excellent reference for those who are confused by grammar. O'Connor refers to some technical grammar terms, but she is clear with the definitions. It reads very well and I have recommended it to many people. It is very unlike those boring grammar books we all remember as elementary school students. Because it was so enjoyable the first time, I'm in the process of reading it again.
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Summary: Woe is You....if you don't read this book
Review: With "Woe is I," O'Connor has created a modern masterpiece. A broad range of grammar topics are covered, including pronouns, punctuation, split infinitives, clichés to avoid, easily confused words (e.g., anxious versus eager), words that are frequently misspelled, and "words" that really aren't words (e.g., irregardless). You also will find a helpful section on email in this new expanded edition. Fortunately, the guide isn't a stuffy schoolbook; it's actually pretty witty. The most enjoyable section concerns "rules" of grammar that can be bent in all but the most formal writing, such as ending a sentence with a preposition. In addition, examples touch upon great literature (e.g., Shakespeare) as well as popular culture (e.g., Harry Potter), making the book quite entertaining. I actually laughed out loud several times, not something one usually does when reading about grammar! O'Connor also strikes a good balance between being a strict grammarian and being pragmatic - she clearly understands her audience. Some sections aren't as detailed as some readers might like, perhaps the only debit. I read "Woe is I" in a few hours, and I plan on rereading it every year as a refresher. I will keep this book by my computer - I know I'll be using it often. Most highly recommended for writers of all types.
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