The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style

Rating:
Summary: Sound advice, good principles, fun reading
Review: Fowler's guide is too British. Merriam-Webster's guide is much too descriptive and seeks the low ground too often. Garner strikes just the right balance between descriptive (what most people actually say in common practice) and prescriptive (what good usage should be). The result is that his guidance is high toned without being stuffy. He also gives excellent counsel on proper pronunciation of words that confuse many. This is also fun to read!

Rating:
Summary: Garner is a genius!
Review: Having used Garners other titles, e.g., A dictionary of modern legal usage, I thought that this title, i.e.,The Oxford Dictionary of American Usage and Style by Bryan A. Garner, would be just as good. To my utter suprise I was right. Once again Garner (just like he did with legal usage and style )is able to help people with usage and style of American English. For instance what is the singular of paprazzi and what is the correct pronounciation of concierge or schism?.

Rating:
Summary: A Valuable Resource
Review: I have found this not only to be very useful, but also it is ver readable. This book consists of enteries of common style, grammar, and word choice mistakes. It's ver easy to find what you are looking for because the enteries are in alphabetical order.

The enteries are quite fascinating to read. For example, is "data" plural or singular? What's the difference between "flaunt" and "flout"? Can you end a sentence with a preposition? Is the plural for octopus "octopi" or "octopuses?" The list goes on and on. This book is not dry at all. If you have any interest in language and writing, this is a necessity to have.