Rating: Summary: Amazing Review: Wry, informative, and above all CONCISE (omission of needless words is the hallmark of Strunk's recommendations) this book will improve your writing. The book is as amusing as it is helpful. As short as it is, there is space for some interjections on particularly horrible literary techniques that the author harps on, as well as a genuinely interesting introduction. Buy this book now.
Rating: Summary: The Best Review: I was looking for a book with basic rules of english grammar to improve the presentation in my recent report and forthcoming thesis. Something that had all in one place, was concise, to the point and no novel-likeness. Strunk & White was the prescription. It has everything a writer needs in terms of language and some aspects of style and presentation. It speaks of the obvious but precious gems which people tend to forget over time. I am impressed with the organisation of the book. What I was really looking for was, Elements of usage and An approach to Style. I recommend this for students planning to write reports, thesis, term papers or any sort of writing that needs to be crisp and clear.The Fine Art of Technical Writing by Carol Rosenblum Perry would be an excellent along with the "little" book for students. It's a necessity if you are in the academia, it's a great aid otherwise.
Rating: Summary: The definitive guide to writing and grammar Review: When I picked up Stephen King's book "On Writing," the first thing I noticed was his praise of "Elements of Style." Fabulous! I have something in common with a world-famous author. To paraphrase, he says most books about writing are nonsense, the one exception being "Elements of Style." That is certainly true.This book is an authority on grammar. Entries on confused words, punctuation, verb conjugation, etc. give writers and editors all the rules they need to be good at what they do. Lessons on style, clarity and good writing help rid writing of plodding or confusing material. This is not a long book to slog through once; it is a wonderfully short book to be used as a reference all the time. What more could you ask for?
Rating: Summary: Ignore the pseudo-intellectuals Review: I've noticed a number of pseudo-intellectuals here complaining about ``The Elements of Style'' based mostly on the fact that is pedantic and restrictive. Obviously these people have neither read the definition of ``element'' nor studied art. These are the basic rules, one half-step above grammar, that should be followed by al people that need to make themselves definitively understood through written communication. It is more than obvious that far too many people have gone through their lives without ever having been exposed to the simple, basic rules presented in this book. How many times have you seen a sign that claims ``Egg's $2.00''? I often wonder why I should care about how much money some guy named Egg has. The majority of the rules that proposed by Mr. Strunk are not pedantic, but simply the basic rules of the English language. There are also other rules that are excellent for straightforward making-yourself-understood writing. These are much more flexible, a point often made in the book by the authors. However, if you don't know what you're doing, these rules are much better to follow than the rules apparently made up on the spot by most uninformed writers. The vague point that some of these pseudo-intellectuals seem to make is that writing this way is very limiting. However, the point of the book, and of rules in general, is to be limiting. If one is striving to make art, one needs to intentionally break rules. However, it is difficult to break rules if one does not know what they are. There is certainly an element of art that discounts rules altogether, but those artists tend not to work in the element of writing at all. It is difficult at best to convey this sort of mindset through words, as words are very definitive and that sort of art is almost totally expressionist. In other words, I would encourage everyone to read this book, or in some way get these basic rules of English in his head. ...
Rating: Summary: An easy 5 stars Review: This book should be the starting point for all students who are learning to write. This is an easy sell, the book is written with its own rules and conveys information in a clear, succinct manner. I want to clarify a few points. The book isn't giving directions on how to write poetry, or litereature. The book is about clarity and conveying information. It also isn't the be all and end all of style, there are some other excellent books that do as good a job. The reason that I would choose this one over those others ("The Craft of Research" or "Style: Towards Clarity and Grace") is that this book is so digestible. It is the epitome of short and sweet. People who read this book and apply the rules will improve their writing.
Rating: Summary: Best book for style on the market! Review: This book is the grand daddy of style books, and still the best. It is simple and easy to follow, and provides excellent examples. I recommend this book to all my writing students, both from law school and from fiction workshops.
Rating: Summary: A classic book on writing Review: I was surprised when I knew that this book was written 65 years ago, but its fourth revision still ranks as one of Amazon's bestsellers. I think that everyone who wants to improve his own writing should read this book. There are a lot of guidance and tips on how to write better. "Avoid fancy words", "keep related words together" are just some examples. Some of the tips are simple, but we often forget / not realise them. This book implicitly tells the same writing principle that I got from my writing class: "Reader is the master, reader is always lazy, and writer is the reader's slave. Writer has to work very hard to make the reader EASILY understand what the writer wants to tell". I am glad to have this book. If this book is useful for native speakers (as indicated from customers' review), this book is also useful for non-native speakers like me.
Rating: Summary: I still have my 35-year-old high school copy... Review: ... of this book, which cost 95 cents. The video generation will appreciate how short the book is, and New Agers will groove on its Zen-ish conciseness. Over the years, I've noticed that the more Strunkandwhitian principles a piece of writing violates, the more irritating it is. Some of their examples may sound outmoded, but their simple rules will still work wonders with what J.R.R. Tolkien called "today's slack and frivolous idiom."
Rating: Summary: One odious little book! Review: One word from _The New York Times_ quote on the cover of this book (my edition, anyway) speaks volumes. "volubility" Whazzat mean? Right away I'm put off. Right away I'm looking for something else to read. Maybe take Wordsworth's advice and listen to the song of the wood linnet. Books like this _are_ a dull and endless strife. English major. Graduated cum laude. Read several hundred books. This book is full of pompous, didactic sentences such as, "Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding 's." I say, "Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding pineapples!" Sure, it's a Dadaist sentiment. But I think a lot of great writers, paradoxically, began making sense of their writing by abandoning sense and rules (the stuff of editors). And a good editor is in league with that grand purpose of bringing the author's noblest intent to fruition. Use rules when you risk being misunderstood if you don't use them. The best insight into good writing, in my opinion, comes not from a professional writer but from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, speaking of the ancient Roman and Greek writers: "I've always been a lover of the short sentence and the pointed aphorism." Read his _Twilight of the Idols_ for stunning writing and short sentences full of meaning and madness. And leave this book to the pedants.
Rating: Summary: A note for non-English speakers Review: This book is very good, but to get the best of it you need to have experience in both English writing and speaking. I don't recommend this book to people that are just starting English lessons, but to people that, say, can keep a conversation for one hour. This book is for native speakers more than for beginners in English. If you are confident of your level, buy it. It's just for you. For Spanish speakers: No recomiendo este libro para los principiantes en inglés, sino para quienes tienen un nivel intermedio o avanzado. El libro tiene demasiados "no haga esto", "corrija aquello", etc., que desanimarían a quienes están comenzando.
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