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20th out of 45 books
—
13 voters
Garner's Modern American Usage
The first edition of Garner's Modern American Usage established Bryan Garner as "an American equivalent of Fowler" (Library Journal). With more than 23,500 copies sold, this witty, accessible, and engaging book has become the new classic reference work praised by professional copyeditors as well as the general public looking for clear advice on how to write more effectivel...more
Hardcover, Second Edition, 879 pages
Published
October 1st 2003
by Oxford University Press
(first published December 3rd 1998)
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Jun 28, 2008
Jessica
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Jessica by:
a dan after my own heart
Shelves:
favorites
Thanks, Dan! Receiving this book justified my having dragged myself out last night, and made the long G-to-the-A trek home totally bearable, even the part at the end when I was walking home from the train and a group of guys yelled out that they wanted to gang rape me. Hah hah! I just chuckled to myself, knowing that if any of them came close I could brain them with my lethally massive new hardcover Garner's, and then point out some finer points of American usage while the ungrammatical would-be...more
6 likes · like · see review
view all 5 comments
A bowl of cereal and one page from Garner's Modern American Usage is my favorite way to start the day. I haven't been reading this book in the morning so I'm taking it off my list of book currently reading.
2 likes · like · see review
I want to do dirty things to this book.
2 likes · like · see review
Update 9/25/12: so, I bought this book. Glad I did-- been flipping through it some more, and it's quite fascinating. Garner can be quite funny even if he is a snoot.
I have to admit though-- upon further reflection, I still don't get the distinction between "erstwhile" and "former". I re-read Garner's explanation, in which he opines that erstwhile is necessary because "former" and "one-time" aren't sufficient, and realized that he never actually explains when you'd use one vs the other! The singl...more
I have to admit though-- upon further reflection, I still don't get the distinction between "erstwhile" and "former". I re-read Garner's explanation, in which he opines that erstwhile is necessary because "former" and "one-time" aren't sufficient, and realized that he never actually explains when you'd use one vs the other! The singl...more
1 like · like · see review
Grammar geeks: your Bible has returned.
The second edition of Garner's Modern American Usage was my favorite reference book, and this third edition is even better. Physically speaking, this tome is slightly thinner than its predecessor (2" vs. 2.2"), but this is more than than made up for with an increase in height and width (10.1" x 7.4", vs. 9.7" x 7"). A new linguistic change index makes an appearance, rating instances of word usage from 1 (always considered a mistake, virtually no one uses it...more
The second edition of Garner's Modern American Usage was my favorite reference book, and this third edition is even better. Physically speaking, this tome is slightly thinner than its predecessor (2" vs. 2.2"), but this is more than than made up for with an increase in height and width (10.1" x 7.4", vs. 9.7" x 7"). A new linguistic change index makes an appearance, rating instances of word usage from 1 (always considered a mistake, virtually no one uses it...more
I poke around in this massive volume, read Garner's brilliant little mini-essays about usage, and a warm, geeky feeling blooms in my chest. Just about the best book on language and its use I've come across. It's like a box of bon-bons if you like this sort of thing.
Jan 01, 2011
Nick Black
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommended to Nick by:
Twitch, DFW
my best friend Twitch gave me this at trivia 2010-12-26. i promptly brought it home and read, enthralled, until 0545 or so. my date was pissed off, but Mssr. Garner and I danced the night away. every true pedant ought acquire and become intimate with a copy. beyond that, i can't say much more beyond DFW's Harper's review (which anyone not damaged in a profound, Oliver Sacksish-way will enjoy).
as another reviewer below has already claimed, this will likely find place on my desk as the first non-m...more
as another reviewer below has already claimed, this will likely find place on my desk as the first non-m...more
3 likes · like · see review
The hell with Strunk and White. This is the only book you will ever need.
Mar 24, 2012
John
added it
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Lynda
Shelves:
unfinished,
unrated
As a result of not finishing this book, I did not rate it. In particular, this review is not zero stars.
It is a folly for me to write a review of this volume, given the limited ability I have for the construction of prose, made even more limited by the fact that I have already returned this book to the library. I apologize to the individuals who attend to the nuanced use of English as found in this book, who care not only for choosing the appropriate words and constructions, but who are so in c...more
It is a folly for me to write a review of this volume, given the limited ability I have for the construction of prose, made even more limited by the fact that I have already returned this book to the library. I apologize to the individuals who attend to the nuanced use of English as found in this book, who care not only for choosing the appropriate words and constructions, but who are so in c...more
Of the myriad dictionaries, grammar books and usage guides out there, one stands out as the argument-ender: Garner’s.
Why is this book so special? Several reasons:
First, it’s comprehensive. Pretty much any question you can think of concerning usage is covered in the nearly 1,000 pages of this book, with detailed explanations, the usage’s history and examples from print. It doesn’t just tell what’s correct or acceptable, it tells you why.
Second, the man knows of which he speaks. His concise, thoug...more
Why is this book so special? Several reasons:
First, it’s comprehensive. Pretty much any question you can think of concerning usage is covered in the nearly 1,000 pages of this book, with detailed explanations, the usage’s history and examples from print. It doesn’t just tell what’s correct or acceptable, it tells you why.
Second, the man knows of which he speaks. His concise, thoug...more
Aug 13, 2007
Jenny
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
writers, readers and the absolutely incurably aggressively nerdy
Shelves:
referenceshelfofmydreams,
toppermost
i love this usage dictionary because it's contemporary and readable and not too stuffy. Here, snipped from the Garner's Usage Tip of the Day email:
"Functional Variation 4 -- Nouns as Verbs.
One type of semantic shift occurs when nouns function as verbs. There are scores of examples {access} {impact}. Often these new usages catch on {debut} {host}, but others sound slangy -- e.g.: "George will be limoed to the Vet and given great seats." "The Winners! When 'K' Means a Home Run," Phil. Daily News,...more
"Functional Variation 4 -- Nouns as Verbs.
One type of semantic shift occurs when nouns function as verbs. There are scores of examples {access} {impact}. Often these new usages catch on {debut} {host}, but others sound slangy -- e.g.: "George will be limoed to the Vet and given great seats." "The Winners! When 'K' Means a Home Run," Phil. Daily News,...more
Nov 29, 2012
Kenny
rated it
3 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Shelves:
books-i-own,
reference
By having this on my shelf, I feel safe. The heft lends it a type of authority, but delving in, he shows some nuance. It's not exactly directive, and there are long entries on topics that are seemingly settled, like Capitalization rules, or Colloquialisms, or even the word "ejaculated" (insert Henry James reference). The book feels nice, and DFW backed it; otherwise it's a go-to resource for a non-native like me.
This is absolutely my favorite reference book for writing. I haven't read it cover-to-cover, but I don't think I've ever had a usage question that this book didn't answer. Over the years, I've read, used, and highlighted a substantial number of the entries. Indispensable!
Apr 10, 2012
Tom
marked it as to-read
Came across one of those crab-walking references -- you know, sort of forward but sideways digressions -- to an essay-review of this book by David Foster Wallace. Never heard of it, but apparently it's quite popular with writers of all levels.
Essential for anyone who's careful about English. Bryan Garner is a lawyer and has a lawyer's exactitude about language. It's so good I'm going to have to buy the e-book for my Android to use in my ESL classes.
I've only read the preface and a couple bits that pertained to the usage issue of "that" versus "which," but I thiiink that's a sufficient amount of reading for me to determine that Bryan A. Garner is my hero.
I won't read this straight through, or probably finish it--it's a reference book. But it would be pleasant enough to read cover-to-cover. I just learned how to pronounce flaccid -- see pages 350-351.
I won this book at one of Garner's seminars. I probably would not have purchased it on my own, but it has become quite a handy reference tool.
Apr 26, 2013
Rand
added it
Quite simply the most current and comprehensive book of rhetoric. This indispensable tome is as entertaining as it is educational.
For me, this is the single most useful book in the world. Astonishingly comprehensive, and full of clear explanations and surprising wit.
the greatest English usage book every written, I refer to it all the time. A must for anyone who does any writing or editing.
I'm such a dork for loving this, but if you're a language nerd (and obsessed by proper hyphen use), then read this.
Totally great. If you are a fan of thinking about politics, you should read this.
It's a hell of a usage book
Addictive
An indispensable reference work for writers and other grammar nerds. If you have a question about grammar or style, consult Garner. For even more fun, subscribe to Garner's Usage Tip of the Day from Oxford UP [http://www.us.oup.com/us/subscription... check out David Foster Wallace's excellent essay (published in Harper's in 2001) about A Dictionary of Modern Usage, this volume's predecessor: [http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave...].
There are a minimum of two works you must have on your reference shelf: (1) dictionary; (2) usage guide. After that, you can make whatever choices you wish. There's a worthy old saying: "usage is king." And usage is anything but static. That's why a book like this is such a treasure. It provides detailed, thoroughly researched discussions of many of the most controversial issues in usage today. If you are serious about the correct use of English, get this book.
This is maybe the greatest reference book I've ever come across. Garner's had an answer for nearly every grammatical, syntactical, lexical, tonal, idiomatic, and graphic question I've turned to his pages for, and the answers are witty and sardonic. For an intro, read David Foster Wallace's mammoth essay, "Authority and American Usage," which is basically an overblown review of Garner's book.
This reference guide to English usage probably has the most balanced lexicographical approach (in the on-going prescriptionist v. descriptionist struggle) of any such guides. Is this sentence grammatically correct?
(ps. check out DFW's really really long (but awesome) essay about/review of this: http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave...)
(ps. check out DFW's really really long (but awesome) essay about/review of this: http://instruct.westvalley.edu/lafave...)
Truly the best resource for copyeditors. The essays are engaging, and he strikes a nice balance between descriptionists and prescriptivists.
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