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The Chicago Manual of Style
The 14th edition of The Chicago Manual of Style has now been superseded by the 15th edition. See below for a link to the new edition. The ISBN of the new 15th edition is 0-226-10403-6.
Hardcover, 14th, 933 pages
Published
September 1st 1993
by University of Chicago Press
(first published 1906)
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It doesn't matter if you're a fan of MLA, AP, or even (dare I say it) Franklin Covey, the Chicago Manual of Style will never let real-world writers and editors* down. Sure, at first you'll stagger through its appendix and feel overwhelmed by the layout, but rest assured, with time, you'll come to rely on it like your trusty blankey that has always been there for you through all these years.
*By real-world writers and editors, I mean that elitist class of people who poo poo on people who write for...more
*By real-world writers and editors, I mean that elitist class of people who poo poo on people who write for...more
6 likes · like · see review
view all 13 comments
Anyone who aspires to be an editor of any sort -- developmental, line, but especially copy -- must buy this book and learn how to find what's in it quickly and easily. It seems every other person I meet these days describes herself as an editor, but I rather doubt that they really know what that means. Being literate and knowing about the serial comma do not make you an editor. The U of C Manual of Style is indispensable, a must-have. And when each new, thick, and expensive edition is published,...more
Memo to Goodreads admin people: the 15th edition is old hat. Nowadays it is the 16th edition that is authoritative. The once-proud 15th edition has had its pedestal tugged out from under it. Only losers refer to the old-fashioned, outmoded, antiquated 15th edition anymore, or even hold on to their copy. Screw the 15th edition.
Please create a listing for the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition. I'd like to post a review complaining that I see few differences between it and the 15th edition (wh...more
Please create a listing for the Chicago Manual of Style, 16th edition. I'd like to post a review complaining that I see few differences between it and the 15th edition (wh...more
Oct 26, 2007
Katherine
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
editors, authors who work with editors, snarky people
My Bible.
Why did they have to change the rule about a bold or italic punctuation mark being set bold or italic according to the preceding typeface?
Why don't they include better samples of how to abbreviate journal titles for Documentation II style?
Why is the index still horrendous?
I use this book every single day, even if I'm just threatening my dog with it to get her off the furniture.
Why did they have to change the rule about a bold or italic punctuation mark being set bold or italic according to the preceding typeface?
Why don't they include better samples of how to abbreviate journal titles for Documentation II style?
Why is the index still horrendous?
I use this book every single day, even if I'm just threatening my dog with it to get her off the furniture.
Jun 22, 2008
Miriam
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
writers, especially of non-fiction
Recommended to Miriam by:
my dissertation advisor (and it was more an order than a recomme
Shelves:
non-fiction
Too heavy, too expensive, and too orange. Other than that, it is great! Very thorough and well-organized. This is the only style guide I've had where I could both locate the information I needed quickly and get a sufficiently clear and complete explanation to be sure how it applied to my own writing.
One of my students gave me a Barnes and Noble gift certificate at the end of school term. It was enough to cover the hefty price of this manual. I have been wanting to buy this for a long time and I will be using it for years, so the price is really not as great as the value.
1 like · like · see review
The serial comma is a beautiful, perfect thing. This book is nowhere near perfect, but there's nothing else like it.
I am not a grammarian but I appreciate formal language and text.
Out of all the grammar texts available, The Chicago Manual is my absolute fave. So far, c. 20 years of use, they have covered every technical aspect of writing that I have needed to review at work. They also denote variances in opinion (which my comma happy self appreciates).
Out of all the grammar texts available, The Chicago Manual is my absolute fave. So far, c. 20 years of use, they have covered every technical aspect of writing that I have needed to review at work. They also denote variances in opinion (which my comma happy self appreciates).
This is the granddaddy of style guides. This is the guide I refer to as the definitive source unless there is a reason to cite another (specialty). More than once I have found publications that state they follow Chicago to break with what the states. It's too bad that so many do not know/or do not care about style in writing.
This being my first review, it's somehow both appropriate and telling that I choose to comment first on a book that I not only use daily but also refer to in the most literal of terms as "my bible." I give this book five stars because I can trust that it is right, and If I do what it says, it will always have my back.
I guess this is as useful as the other style manuals, in that certain publications & journals only accept manuscripts that strictly adhere to the guidelines. What bothers me are the picayune differences between this, the MLA, the APA manuals, etc. Good writing, organization, citations and footnoting could & should be more universal and not divided into so many versions.
For some reason this book always terrified me. It's always been a nightmare to think of all the tiny details I had to keep in mind to make my bibliography "look good" as if the format were more important than the content. Definitely too much for a NON detail-oriented persone like me!!!!!!!
Excellent guide. Detailed and comprehensive, but for the technically minded. I just wish I could get my hands on a different type of book that explores the nuances of English grammar and style, with a more literary presentation and a wicked writing style. Any recommendations?
Jan 17, 2011
Erik Graff
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
editors/students/authors
Recommended to Erik by:
no one
Shelves:
reference
Having been laid off from my happy position at Loyola University Chicago, having no luck at finding a similar position there or elsewhere and being semi-employed by a small academic publishing house, I decided to get serious about another career. So, I started publishing lots reviews and one scholarly article and began trying to drum up editorial work. Being already familiar with the MLA style, I picked up a copy of the Chicago Manual of Style and read through the whole thing. It wasn't so bad....more
2 likes · like · see review
A must-have book for every writer. You'll learn what to not to do as you crfeate your masterpieces.
Example: what not to do: SS Badger and what to do SS Badger
A fantastic resource to make your work professional.
Example: what not to do: SS Badger and what to do SS Badger
A fantastic resource to make your work professional.
OK, those who know me know: I'm always reading this . . . and using it to make sure that no pesky errors or infelicities of style detract from "my" writers' best prose! (I read it also because that's the kind of school marmish grammar geek I am!)
The best handbook for writing, editing, and publishing ever created. I bought this in college and actually waited up until the midnight it became available. I won't go see a midnight showing of a movie, but I will wait to buy a book...
I actually have the 16th edition, not yet listed here. I love any book that has a whole table of guidelines for hyphen use. Not bathtub reading, but totally useful for writers (who want to send stuff out to North American publishers).
Sep 03, 2012
ACB
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-about-writing,
nonfiction
my go-to guide for all things writing related. mla and apa manuals could learn much from this magnificent text. (note: although this book is marked as "read," i certainly haven't read it cover to cover. sizable chunks though.)
Besides having all the answers for editors who edit for organizations that require Chicago style, this is a tremendously sexy book, with that distinctive hot orange cover and good heft. I just like holding it.
My rating is for the 14th edition! This is a rating based on literary merit. Always purchase the most recent edition of the CMOS if you need to use it as a reference. But the 14th, for pure browsing joy, cannot be beat.
I guess I can't really say that I've read this book, but I've definitely used it. Few books have kept me up later into the night. When you find a really great exposition on dashes and hyphens, who needs sleep???
Ooo! This if fun! Lots of detailed examples of where to put commas, capital letters, and all that fun stuff. Great trivia if you like to be snobby and persnickety when reviewing others' papers too.
The more I use this book, the more I appreciate the conciseness, subtle humor, clear examples, and user-friendly index of the Society of Biblical Literature Handbook of Style. UCP, take note.
If Turabian's the Gospel, this is the Bible. No arguing with this; that's just how it is. It'll save your butt when it comes time to actually finish the book you've been writing for ten years.
I'll be reading this constantly for as long as I can imagine, but I'll put it on my "Read" shelf just to get it out of the way. Indispensable. I'd pay good money for a supplementary index, though.
One of my best writing buddies in college and law school. I still use it frequently--not so much for the information on proper citation, but for the information on correct grammar, punctuation, etc.
No. I obviously didn't read this cover to cover. But I've consulted it enough times over the years (going back an edition or two) that it feels like an old friend.
Mar 16, 2013
Rowena Dela Rosa Yoon
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
archive
After writing a review on Strunk and White's The Element of Style, I got this recommendation. A must-have reference style. My latest fav though is the Harvard Style.
B: What Chicago! No one uses Chicago anymore!
Books Store Shopper: What! I just spent an hour lecturing my students on Chicago!
Me: (rage building)
Books Store Shopper: What! I just spent an hour lecturing my students on Chicago!
Me: (rage building)
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