Rating: 
Summary: Is there a concensus of opinion on this book . . . ?
Review: As a freelance book editor for the past two decades, I'm one of that rather small, self-selected group of people who are likely to read grammar texts and style guides for pleasure. My copies of Follett and Patridge are well-thumbed, but I'm always willing to peruse a new effort. Bryson started out as a copyeditor for the Times of London, and was the compiler of _The Penguin Dictionary of Troublesome Words_ (of which this is actually a 2d edition), and he has a proven and felicitous writing style, so the book is both useful and a pleasure to read. Which is not to say that I don't have some nits to pick. Some of the problems he addresses are obvious, like the increasingly common disregard for the difference between "its" and "it's," and the bugbear of ending a sentence with a preposition. Then there are less commonly discussed screw-ups that, personally, make me wince when I hear or read them, like a car having a "collision" with a tree, or something being in "close proximity" with something else, or the difference between a "meteor" and a "meteorite," or the insistence that "noisome" has something to do with noise. And he handles all of those well and wittily. But many other entries seem to be spacefillers or else were carried over from a much more specialized list from his newspaper days. For instance, I've never had occasion to worry about the proper spelling of the Nullarbor Plain in Australia, or the Welsh word "eisteddfod." And how many writers confuse "cord" and "chord"? And an author or editor is expected to check the spelling of names like "coelacanth" and Amelia "Earhart" and "Alfa-Romeo" and "Meriwether" Lewis anyway. I can also think of a number of commonly misused words and terms that Bryson did not include, and for which a discussion would have been useful, such as the colloquial use of "ain't," and why "bugbear" has nothing to do with wildlife. I won't be adding this one to my ready-reference shelf, but it's worth a read.
Rating: 
Summary: An Interesting Reference Book
Review: Bill Bryson's Dictionary of Troublesome Words is a fun read for word enthusiasts. Written in his usual humorous style, it is full of interesting and in many cases unusual examples of correct English usage, as well as the basics, such as the difference between less and fewer for the surprisingly many that still don't know. Well worth having in your personal reference library.
Rating:
Summary: A valuable reference book for all who write
Review: Bryson delivers commonsense answers to your everyday language questions. I've put my copy of Bryson right next to my copy of Fowler. Bryson is neither too conservative nor too liberal: he usually finds the happy medium. If you love English grammar and usage, or write seriously, you'll find this book a great help.
Rating:
Summary: Oh yes, I needed this book
Review: I am a professional writer. I have had published scores of magazine features and even a couple of books. But Bill Bryson taught me a few things and made me think about what I say and write even more than usual. It isn't easy to admit someone is much more learned than I in these matters, but here he is. If you have occasion to write more than an occasional email, put this book on your frequently-used reference shelf, for it is bound to become invaluable.
Rating:
Summary: Oh yes, I needed this book
Review: I am a professional writer. I have had published scores of magazine features and even a couple of books. But Bill Bryson taught me a few things and made me think about what I say and write even more than usual. It isn't easy to admit someone is much more learned than I in these matters, but here he is. If you have occasion to write more than an occasional email, put this book on your frequently-used reference shelf, for it is bound to become invaluable.
Rating:
Summary: Really good for non-native writers
Review: I often write papers in English, and this book really helps me to improve the quality of my writing.
Rating:
Summary: An enjoyable reference not just for editors
Review: If you are one of those people who actually care about your writing, then this book is for you. I picked up a copy recently at a bookstore and I've browsed through most of it. I'm embarrassed to say that I found a few words that I had been using incorrectly!
I don't know if I'd really use this book over a 'real' dictionary, but I would definitely consider it if I'm unsure of a definition or the proper usage of a word. I expect that I'll be reviewing this book occasionally to make sure that there isn't some word that I'm slipping up on.
If you are self conscious and concerned about your writing, then pick up this valuable resource. I guarantee you'll be able to find something in the book that you haven't been using properly or misspelling (if that's not the case, then congratulations).
Rating:
Summary: A useful, and highly personal, reference
Review: Not to gild the lily, this is to all intents and purposes a basically good book. Hopefully, it will be utilized to put an end to grammatical and usage errors, as well as misuse of apostrophe's, "quotation marks" and other punctuation.If that paragraph above does not give you the dry heaves, you need to read Bill Bryson's "Dictionary." Unfortunately, much as I enjoyed this book, I'm afraid it will appeal primarily to people who already know a lot of this information, instead of to the many who would benefit from reading it. And that's too bad ("The belief that *and* should not be used to begin a sentence is without foundation. And that's all there is to it." [p. 13]). As Bryson notes, this book is not a style or usage guide. For that, I would recommend Fowler and Wallraff, sources Bryson often cites, and especially Bill Walsh's "Lapsing into a Comma." What this book does provide is a useful guide to clarity of expression through precise use of language. While many people may not know, or care, about the distinctions between "lectern," "podium," "dais," and "rostrum" (p. 119), for example, the distinctions are nevertheless important, and Bryson helps nail them down. He makes the important point that English is a language without a governing authority. Tradition and usage define what's proper. Language is evolutionary -- an example, as Hayek noted, of spontaneous order. However, it's possible to take this idea too far. In the Introduction (a passage quoted on the back cover as well), Bryson says, "If you wish to say 'between you and I' or to use *fulsome* in the sense of lavish, it is your privilege to do so...". I'm not certain this is the sort of advice people necessarily need to hear, unless of course you add the important corollary that the rest of us have the privilege of considering you an idiot for doing so. Apart from that, though, this is an entertaining as well as useful read, and one I encourage writers both professional and casual to keep handy.
Rating:
Summary: The browser's joyride for the proper pursuit of English
Review: The English language is filled with quirks and puzzles: copy editor Bryson here provides a guide to avoiding the traps and snares of the language. His A-Z dictionary outlines some of the more common problems involved in using ordinary words such as 'either', future', or 'may well be'. Bryson's Dictionary Of Troublesome Words is another browser's joyride for the proper pursuit of English.
Rating: 
Summary: Too good to pass up, and also useful
Review: This book is an enormously easy, fun read. As a side benefit, it will improve your grasp of the English language. I liked it so much that I bought an electronic version for my PDA, so I'll always have it handy. Everyone needs it.
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