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306th out of 8,322 books
—
39,505 voters
The Elements of Style
The hardcover version of the most indispensable writing resource features a new Glossary of grammatical terms; includes a new Foreword by Charles Osgood; and retains the classic principles of English style.
Hardcover, 105 pages
Published
August 24th 1999
by Longman Publishing Group
(first published 1919)
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This book is good for the following things:
1. Propping up a short table leg
2. Lining a bird cage
3. Building a fire
4. Using as a coaster for cold drinks
I devoted some of my grammar thesis to criticizing this book, and it was time well spent.
Geoff Nunberg may have said it best: "The weird thing is to see rules like these passed down as traditional linguistic wisdom. Take that edict that you ought to say "10 persons" rather than "10 people." You can still find it in the recent editions of Strunk...more
1. Propping up a short table leg
2. Lining a bird cage
3. Building a fire
4. Using as a coaster for cold drinks
I devoted some of my grammar thesis to criticizing this book, and it was time well spent.
Geoff Nunberg may have said it best: "The weird thing is to see rules like these passed down as traditional linguistic wisdom. Take that edict that you ought to say "10 persons" rather than "10 people." You can still find it in the recent editions of Strunk...more
Had I read this a year ago, happily under the spell of nazism, I might have filled this little review with the kind of gleaming praise and happy diligence of the awakened; however, in the past year I was compelled to take up a few contemporary grammar and style guides and subsequently have developed a sore throat around these pills. I spit them out.
My grammar is not sparkling, nor even prone to an occasional gloss shimmer; nonetheless, a book of this sort does little to help the sheen. Its voice...more
My grammar is not sparkling, nor even prone to an occasional gloss shimmer; nonetheless, a book of this sort does little to help the sheen. Its voice...more
9 likes · like · see review
Sep 25, 2008
Elizabeth
rated it
4 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Elizabeth by:
Graham
I have a confession --
I like grammar books.
Now, I don't usually like the ranting of old, white men who clearly don't have better things to do with their time. Usually, I want to hurl their books about. Usually, I'm all about the clever undermining of the status quo. But I like clear writing, and with few exceptions until very recently (such as the brilliant Karen Elizabeth Gordon), this means hanging out with some of the grumpiest, most conservative, and self-righteous old men. I'm talking abo...more
I like grammar books.
Now, I don't usually like the ranting of old, white men who clearly don't have better things to do with their time. Usually, I want to hurl their books about. Usually, I'm all about the clever undermining of the status quo. But I like clear writing, and with few exceptions until very recently (such as the brilliant Karen Elizabeth Gordon), this means hanging out with some of the grumpiest, most conservative, and self-righteous old men. I'm talking abo...more
26 likes · like · see review
I am well aware that this book is held in very high regard by teachers, professors, and authors. My issue is not so much with the content of the book but with the fact that one must already have some background in grammar to understand the concepts Strunk is communicating.
For example, without a prior understanding of grammar, the following sentence would be meaningless to a reader: "Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns in apposition, adjectives, and adjective...more
For example, without a prior understanding of grammar, the following sentence would be meaningless to a reader: "Participial phrases preceded by a conjunction or by a preposition, nouns in apposition, adjectives, and adjective...more
21 likes · like · see review
Jul 18, 2009
Patrick Gibson
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Patrick by:
some teacher along the way
Shelves:
nerdboy
I remember, my Freshman year, sitting in the Music Building lounge waiting for my next class when Maryanne came crashing in, with an appropriate amount of chaos, announcing to all “Oh crap, I can’t find my Strunk and White.” Everyone else in the room apparently knew what she was talking about, but I sat with a blank stare. A few weeks latter my required English 101 professor insisted we hit the bookstore and buy ‘The Elements of Style.’ We were to treat it like the Holy Grail of grammar, carry i...more
21 likes · like · see review
Oct 14, 2007
Kenny
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
anyone who writes.
Shelves:
writing-craft
The gold standard. No more need be said than to quote Mr. Strunk's thoughts under the headline "Omit Needless Words":
"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the reader make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell."
And every word of Mr....more
"Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecessary sentences, for the same reason that a drawing should have no unnecessary lines and a machine no unnecessary parts. This requires not that the reader make all sentences short, or avoid all detail and treat subjects only in outline, but that every word tell."
And every word of Mr....more
I never thought I would say this about a book, but every writer needs to read this book. Hell, if you plan on writing anything you should read this book. The title is very misleading. Anyone who came across it for the first time might think it was a book about "style" as an artform. For those who are worried about the pedantry of writing, this book is mostly about grammar and what can be more effective in using the English language. This needs to be in the curriculumn for high schools, especiall...more
7 likes · like · see review
Jun 25, 2008
Karima
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Those who cherish language.
What a beautiful, slim volume of wisdom and written elegance.
I highly recommend this edition with illustrations by Maira Kalman. It has been, according to Roger Angell who writes the forward, "modestly" updated from the original, published in the WW 1 era.
Get this book. Give this book. Refer to this book over and over again.
I highly recommend this edition with illustrations by Maira Kalman. It has been, according to Roger Angell who writes the forward, "modestly" updated from the original, published in the WW 1 era.
Get this book. Give this book. Refer to this book over and over again.
It is very good for what it does, which is advise on how to write clearly and concisely. But generations of writers have completely misunderstood its purpose and used it as a Bible of Good Writing. It's not. Linguist Geoffrey Pullum has famously gone on something of a crusade against The Elements of Style, and while he makes good points, it may be a little unfair to blame S&W for the fact that writers don't realize the original authors were addressing an audience of barely-literate college s...more
5 likes · like · see review
I have a bone to pick with the author of this book. Several bones...
First off, the book is way too Americanised. The so called "elements of style" in this book are sold as international standard (a linguistic crime as there is no such thing), yet it sets aside the British proprieties as well as the Irish, Indian and Australian niceties. Now, maybe I'm a true internationalist, but when a book tells me that I should not use contractions in an official document, when in fact, there's a huge and ex...more
First off, the book is way too Americanised. The so called "elements of style" in this book are sold as international standard (a linguistic crime as there is no such thing), yet it sets aside the British proprieties as well as the Irish, Indian and Australian niceties. Now, maybe I'm a true internationalist, but when a book tells me that I should not use contractions in an official document, when in fact, there's a huge and ex...more
7 likes · like · see review
There is no point in reviewing one of the most popular style guides ever. But what I can do is write about my experience with it. First, I am not a native English speaker. And second, I am an amateur fiction writer. This won't be the first book I would recommend to someone that doesn't know what an independent clause is. There are plenty of grammar rules for "normal" people out there. But for writers it is very helpful. I read and read the rules, time and time again, until they sink in. It has a...more
5 likes · like · see review
This book was recommended to my by my former manager in Psychiatric Quality Control as a guide for effective writing. It's the best writing text I've come across yet. William Strunk and E.B. White (as in Charlotte's Web, one of Strunk's students) worked independently to produce this excellent work: Strunk wrote the original "draft" as classroom notes and after his death White arranged them for publication.
The book is composed of five chapters and a glossary. There are 22 rules, notes on good fo...more
The book is composed of five chapters and a glossary. There are 22 rules, notes on good fo...more
This book is a bit of a mess, ironically, but is worth reading. My natural style is... somewhat baroque. I wanted to pick up some tips on writing more clearly, since my goal is more often communication than art. The first few sections of the book are great, and the examples are quite helpful (in addition to being amusing). Nonetheless, there are many problems with this book.
Section IV, on the use of words and phrases, is comically idiosyncratic. One of my pet peeves is the instance that words in...more
Section IV, on the use of words and phrases, is comically idiosyncratic. One of my pet peeves is the instance that words in...more
What a classic. This book I read is a reprint from the original 1920 version.
It's a great book for writers. Let's face it, we all write emails, so we can all use it.
Here are examples of the great reminders I got from the book -
1) use active voice
not: confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained.
instead: these reports cannot be confirmed
2) omit needless words
not: he is a man who drinks often
instead: he drinks often
3) put statements in positive form
not: I did not pay attention to the rain drop...more
It's a great book for writers. Let's face it, we all write emails, so we can all use it.
Here are examples of the great reminders I got from the book -
1) use active voice
not: confirmation of these reports cannot be obtained.
instead: these reports cannot be confirmed
2) omit needless words
not: he is a man who drinks often
instead: he drinks often
3) put statements in positive form
not: I did not pay attention to the rain drop...more
Aug 13, 2007
Nathaniel
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
top10nonfiction,
writing
Accept no substitute for the 3rd edition of this exceptional work. The 4th edition includes "improvements" (hah!) by some ghost writer who seems to think that the singular "they" is acceptable. Here, E. B. White expands on Strunk's earlier work, and produces a compact and effective writing and style guide, explaining some of the best and least known errors that creep into everyone's writing. Know the difference between nauseous and nauseated? Imply and infer? Tortuous and torturous? You will aft...more
2 likes · like · see review
This book condenses most of the must-know for starting writers. While writing more about it would be to break its rules (and that's seventeen words too many), this book is especially valuable for technical and scientific writers.
Even though I already have two new copies of this little gem at home, I borrowed this 1972 edition from my faculty library. It's the SECOND edition. The paper is all torn from the binding, but it's got this mystical feel to it. It's fascinating. I just adore old books. This book really has stood the test of time. I get something new every time I pick up this book. This will never become boring.
White's guide to Strunk's wisdom tells the writer to omit needless words. The 2005 edition should have omitted 57 pages of needless illustrations.
This is the oft-cited classic. If you haven't read it, read it. I know that seems an overly strong recommendation, but the value of this book's guidelines can't be understated.
Elements of Style contains the most valuable advice for any writer: “Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecssary sentences.”
Also, the chapter “Words and Expressions Commonly Misused” is not only helpful, but funny.
Elements of Style contains the most valuable advice for any writer: “Omit needless words. Vigorous writing is concise. A sentence should contain no unnecessary words, a paragraph no unnecssary sentences.”
Also, the chapter “Words and Expressions Commonly Misused” is not only helpful, but funny.
A gem. Illustrated with gems. Even my son, who cannot restrain himself from littering the page with inappropriately-placed commas, liked this book.
1 like · like · see review
The Elements of Style is considered the Bible of English grammar and style by many. After reading this book, I can see why.
I actually owned this book back in college, but I only used it as a reference; I didn't read it cover to cover. I now wish I had. At 85 pages, it is one of the shortest books I have ever read.
The book is divided into five parts: elementary rules of usage, elementary principles of composition, a few matters of form, words and expressions commonly misused, and an approach to...more
I actually owned this book back in college, but I only used it as a reference; I didn't read it cover to cover. I now wish I had. At 85 pages, it is one of the shortest books I have ever read.
The book is divided into five parts: elementary rules of usage, elementary principles of composition, a few matters of form, words and expressions commonly misused, and an approach to...more
This short grammar book turned out to be one of the most controversial books I've read in the past year. The author(s) prize simplicity, correctness and a certain orthodoxy in writing, and urge readers - that is, future writers - to mostly abandon flowery, convoluted prose. To be blunt: this is an elitist book. The elitism is mostly implicit, although there are occasional gems such as:
"Like has long been widely misused by the illiterate; lately it has been taken up by the knowing and the well-in...more
"Like has long been widely misused by the illiterate; lately it has been taken up by the knowing and the well-in...more
William Strunk’s The Elements of Style is an unimposing little volume, but very quickly on opening it weighed heavy as indicator of what I don’t know about grammar specifically, and writing generally. I had for a while been consuming books about the craft of writing, referring to top ten lists, and author referrals. Strunk’s book is a commonly found recommendation.
For me it has not been a quick read, and the more I slashed around in it, the more confused and insecure I became. Buoyed only in tho...more
For me it has not been a quick read, and the more I slashed around in it, the more confused and insecure I became. Buoyed only in tho...more
Feb 24, 2013
Aubrey Tate
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
adult-non-fiction,
writing
The Elements of Style is high school English 101 in a compact and well organized book. English was one of the classes in high school where the 'rules' sunk in pretty well for me. I couldn't recite, then or now, what grammar terms are what. If the teacher handed out exercises saying, point out the intransitive verb, I normally couldn't unless I had just studied it or we just went over it. When the teacher said, pick out the sentence that is worded the best I could. A lot of this book I found to j...more
The Elements of Style is useful as a concise reference text of common pitfalls of form and grammar, and how they may be avoided. Many of the information giving here is not useful in conversational English, where grammatical rules are generally more relaxed, but invaluable in serious writing, where to misuse a term would be to look like a fool. The Elements of Style is short enough to be read cover to cover, but long enough for lengthy indexes of valuable information, largely forgotten my modern...more
Overall, The Elements of Style is 85 pages of general rules that can improve one's writing.
I like books about writing and how to become better at it, but they're always hard to read, especially when written in generalizations such as this. Good writing can't be generalized because it's often a matter of opinion; what strikes one person as well-written won't necessarily move the next, although The Elements of Style often makes it seem like good writing can be universally recognized.
Eh... I usua...more
I like books about writing and how to become better at it, but they're always hard to read, especially when written in generalizations such as this. Good writing can't be generalized because it's often a matter of opinion; what strikes one person as well-written won't necessarily move the next, although The Elements of Style often makes it seem like good writing can be universally recognized.
Eh... I usua...more
Many literary types consider Strunk and White's The Elements of Style to be a classic text of language usage and composition techniques, listing several of the most problematic rules of grammar and giving suggestions as to how writers can improve their writing. And, while The Elements of Style does provide some helpful tips, the book's brevity ultimately leads the reader to an underwhelming experience. It leaves out many issues that are frequently confusing to writers, gives only a minimal numbe...more
I'm all for improving clarity and efficacy in writing, and Strunk offers some really insightful advice on how to do so, but he also gives you statements like this:
"Like has long been widely misused by the illiterate; lately it has been taken up by the knowing and the well-informed, who find it catchy, or liberating, and who use it as though they were slumming. If every word or device that achieved currency were immediately authenticated, simply on the ground of popularity, the language would be...more
"Like has long been widely misused by the illiterate; lately it has been taken up by the knowing and the well-informed, who find it catchy, or liberating, and who use it as though they were slumming. If every word or device that achieved currency were immediately authenticated, simply on the ground of popularity, the language would be...more
Hopefully, everyone will someday know why i read this book.
(i realize that sounds like something one of them Columbine kids would of wroten, but i swear it's meant to be merely oblique, not darkly ominous)
Strunk provides readers and wannabe writers with almost 100 pages of helpful, timeless grammar lessons overlarded with tired, pedantically stuffed-shirt quibbles about words and phrases he doesn't particularly like. For example, he claims to be incapable of interpreting "the student body" to me...more
(i realize that sounds like something one of them Columbine kids would of wroten, but i swear it's meant to be merely oblique, not darkly ominous)
Strunk provides readers and wannabe writers with almost 100 pages of helpful, timeless grammar lessons overlarded with tired, pedantically stuffed-shirt quibbles about words and phrases he doesn't particularly like. For example, he claims to be incapable of interpreting "the student body" to me...more
I actually read the 3rd edition of Peguin Press' The Elements of Style by Howard Strunk and E.B. White, the later of which wrote the ever-so-famous "Charlotte's Web", but could not find it on GoodReads. The edition that I write of has illustrations which make the book very accessible for the visual learner.
When I become an English teacher, I will make this book be required reading for my students, on account of the book practices what it preaches - conciseness. It is always to the point, rich in...more
When I become an English teacher, I will make this book be required reading for my students, on account of the book practices what it preaches - conciseness. It is always to the point, rich in...more
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“To achieve style, begin by affecting none.”
—
19 people liked it
“The mind travels faster than the pen; consequently, writing becomes a question of learning to make occasional wing shots, bringing down the bird of thought as it flashes by. A writer is a gunner, sometimes waiting in the blind for something to come in, sometimes roaming the countryside hoping to scare something up.”
—
6 people liked it
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Sorry to bother you, but..Erm, can yo...more
Oct 27, 2010 07:05am
I do think you could review the book again to make sure you're really that...more
Dec 14, 2012 01:55pm