The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English

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The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English

3.83 of 5 stars 3.83 · rating details · 365 ratings · 95 reviews

Early in the history of English, the words "grammar" and "glamour" meant the same thing: the power to charm. Roy Peter Clark, author of Writing Tools, aims to put the glamour back in grammar with this fun, engaging alternative to stuffy instructionals. In this practical guide, readers will learn everything from the different parts of speech to why effective writers prefer...more

Hardcover, 304 pages

Published August 16th 2010 by Little, Brown and Company (first published July 22nd 2010)

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Sep 20, 2012 Abbe added it

Shelves: in-library

From Publishers Weekly

...more From Publishers Weekly

Grammar is a subject that typically induces wincing, wheezing, or worse. Clark, a lifelong whiz at the subject, wants readers to fully appreciate the importance of good grammar and the qualities of superior writing. To that end, he has laid out several entertaining, easy-to-follow rules, governing everything from punctuation to alliteration, that promise to dramatically improve one's writing and develop an appreciation for language. Clark draws on examples ranging from DeLillo to Rowling, a breadth of text that readers will appreciate as much as the author's humorous approach. Who knew that a discussion of grammar could induce laughter? This is an eminently readable, extremely enjoyable guide that readers will find highly useful on their path to development, not just as writers, but as readers.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Review

"Very much a manual for the 21st century...a welcome addition to the bookshelf of anyone who cares about language-and is willing to argue about it." (Ammon Shea, the New York Times Book Review )

"A fine common-sense guide to the proper use of language." (Barbara Fisher, the Boston Globe )

"An engaging and witty exploration of the shifting rules of English grammar...Clark shows breathtaking knowledge of how language is used in the real world and a passionate commitment to helping writers make good choices." (Chuck Leddy, Minneapolis Star Tribune )

"[Roy Peter] Clark takes readers through a well-paced presentation...he conveys the magic that is to be found in English, in its ever active evolution." (Margaret Heilbrun, Library Journal )

"Clark...has laid out several entertaining, easy-to-follow rules, governing everything from punctuation to alliteration, that promise to dramatically improve one's writing and develop an appreciation for language. Who knew that a discussion of grammar could induce laughter? This is an eminently readable, extremely enjoyable guide that readers will find highly useful on their path to development, not just as writers, but as readers." (Publishers Weekly )

"What I learned from this book:

1) That grammar has meant mastery of all arts and letters (to the Greeks) and power, magic, and enchantment (to the Scots). Wow.

2) That for the artful writer, no decision is too small, including whether to use a or the. Awesome.

3) That there are right-branching, left-branching, and middle-branching sentences. How cool!

4) That Roy Peter Clark, a modern-day Pied Piper of grammar, makes good writing both approachable and doable. Phew!" (Constance Hale, author of Sin and Syntax )

"Who, other than a word-lover like Roy Peter Clark, would dare link "glamour" with (ugh) "grammar"? Here it is--a book of enchantment about words and how words work and what they mean and how to spell them, where even lowly semicolons get appreciated as "swinging gates" in a sentence. Who'd a thunk a book on grammar could be fun? And humorous. Check out "cleave" and "cleaveage."" (Sister Helen Prejean, author of Dead Man Walking )

"If grammar is medicine, then Roy Clark gives us the spoonful of sugar to help it go down. A wonderful tour through the labyrinth of language." (Anne Hull, Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter, The Washington Post )

"If 'Euphemisms are unpleasant truths wearing diplomatic cologne,' as Quentin Crisp once said, then Ralph Keyes has given word and language lovers a deeply fragrant-and thoroughly enjoyable-book." (Dr. Mardy Grothe, author of Oxymoronica and other quotation anthologies )

"If there is indeed a glamour to grammar, I should have known Roy Peter Clark would be the one to spot it. Clark is a trusty guide for anyone wanting to avoid the (many) pitfalls and scale the (hard-won) peaks of perpetrating prose." (Ben Yagoda, author of _Memoir: A History and The Sound on the Page: Style and Voice in Writing_ )

"Roy Peter Clark takes the language so seriously he dares to play with it. What other English professor would seriously write 'A good pun is its own reword.'_The Glamour of Grammar_ is required fun, seriously." (Eugene C. Patterson, Pulitzer Prize-winning editor and retired chairman and CEO, St. Petersburg Times )

"Roy Peter Clark, the Jedi master of writing coaches, has delivered another indispensable classic for every author, young and old. The Glamour of Grammar crackles with wit and wisdom and with page after page of rock-solid strategies to guide writers toward prose that sings with vivid clarity. Somehow, Clark makes grammar seem both playful and understandable, even for those who have trouble telling the difference between a dangling participle and a wandering antecedent." (Thomas French, author of Zoo Story )

"An indispensible book in this Twitter world where so few words must push your story forward. Roy Peter Clark shows you a fun way to say exactly what you mean." (Bob Dotson, NBC News National Correspondent for the Today Show's "American Story with Bob Dotson" )

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Jan 24, 2012 Literary Mama added it

Shelves: writing-guide

For all its wisdom, this is not simply a serious book of punctuation. Clark infuses The Glamour of Grammar with wit, making each lesson both intriguing and fun. The chapter on question marks, for example, begins: "In my senior year in high school, 1966, I played the keyboard in a garage band called T.S. and the Eliots." He goes on to describe a music mentor oddly named "?" and then asserts, "The question mark, used well, may be the most profoundly human form of punctuation. Unlike the other mark...more

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Jan 06, 2012 Marigold rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: non-fiction, reading-and-writing

I saw Roy Peter Clark speak at the 2010 Grant Professionals Association conference in Florida, & he was really fun! I was too late to get a signed copy of his book at the conference, but picked up a copy later, & decided to read it while I was reading "Doctor Zhivago", because I wasn't sure I was going to get through the good Doc Z., & I thought, "maybe some non-fiction about...grammar!....will clear my head!" It worked because I was able to pick up Doc Z. again, finish that, & t...more

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Oct 24, 2010 Book Calendar rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: writing, grammar

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Aug 22, 2010 Noni rated it 5 of 5 stars

I received this book as part of the First Reads and to be honest rather dreaded turning to the first page. I was delightfully surprised to find that I had received a true gem by the time the last page was turned. The title has another blurb under it " A guide to the magic and mystery of practical English" and truer words were never spoken. The author is a true magician as he has taken what could have been a very dry subject and given readers a truly fascinating book that was difficult to put dow...more

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Aug 15, 2010 J R rated it 5 of 5 stars

I never realized that there was a possible link between the words glamour and grammar, but thanks to Roy Peter Clark, I am now well aware of the connection. Clark's The Glamour of Grammar is a book about language and grammar that should have a place in any writer, language lover or avid reader's personal library.

The Glamour of Grammar is unlike any grammar book that I have ever read, as it is not only about rules and proper English. In the Glamour of Grammar Clark successfully attempts to convey...more I never realized that there was a possible link between the words glamour and grammar, but thanks to Roy Peter Clark, I am now well aware of the connection. Clark's The Glamour of Grammar is a book about language and grammar that should have a place in any writer, language lover or avid reader's personal library.

The Glamour of Grammar is unlike any grammar book that I have ever read, as it is not only about rules and proper English. In the Glamour of Grammar Clark successfully attempts to convey his love of the English language to the reader, he explores the history of words, the usage of punctuation, he gives tips on how to best use grammar to the writer's benefit, and he shows writers how to bend the rules if they need to.

Clark is clearly a master of the English language, and it is evident that every word from the smallest article to the longest adjective in the Glamour of Grammar has been thought through carefully and with amazing skill. All statements are backed up by great examples, and quite often Clark is able to pull in events from current trends to make grammar more accessible to the reader.

Clark repeatedly encourages the use and study of the dictionary, and he also suggests that reading is the best way to improve your writing. As a speaker of English as a second language, I can only concur with these observations. I used to spend a lot of time with my head in an enormous Webster's dictionary, and while I was trying to perfect my English I dove into works of masters such as W.E.B. Dubois with Webster's by my side. I would look up every word I did not know, and once I entered college, I realized that I actually had a clear advantage over my fellow classmates, because I had in fact studied the English language up close.

Clark takes us on a journey from the Oxford English Dictionary to the website wordspy.com, and from the American Heritage Dictionary to the Hip Hoptionary and the Urban Dictionary. Clark is a wealth of knowledge and in The Glamour of Grammar he enlightens, he teaches, and he shares his observations with the reader.

The Glamour of Grammar is one of the most pleasant grammar books that I have read, and I enjoyed learning from Clark, who is easy to follow, and whose love for the English language leaves its mark on every page, in every sentence, and in every word of the book. Clark makes grammar accessible and usable through the extensive knowledge, which he shares in the Glamour of Grammar. (less)

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Aug 27, 2010 Sheila rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: non-fiction

So, what do you think about when you hear the word “grammar”? As a kid, I would think “Uh oh; I guess I wrote something wrong again.” As a young adult I’d say, “Hey, that’s just the way I speak.” As an Englishwoman moving to America I’d groan that it’s not just the spellings that are different here but the grammar rules as well. And after reading this book I’d say, “Wow!”

So, what about my punctuation above? Why did I put that question mark outside the quotes when the exclamation point went insid...more So, what do you think about when you hear the word “grammar”? As a kid, I would think “Uh oh; I guess I wrote something wrong again.” As a young adult I’d say, “Hey, that’s just the way I speak.” As an Englishwoman moving to America I’d groan that it’s not just the spellings that are different here but the grammar rules as well. And after reading this book I’d say, “Wow!”

So, what about my punctuation above? Why did I put that question mark outside the quotes when the exclamation point went inside at the end of the paragraph? I’d often wondered how to punctuate quotes, and since I want to be a writer, I’d often thought I really ought to learn. At last I have.

Clark’s book starts by pointing out that “glamour” and “grammar” come from the same root. I guess is makes sense. After all, we “spell” words correctly or otherwise, and wizards cast “spells.” Grammar’s just the next step.

I used to teach chess, and I’d explain to the kids that there are two types of rules. Some have to be obeyed (pawns move forwards for example), or else you’re not playing chess. Others are there to be understood and used judiciously (such as “Don’t get your queen out too soon”) to set or avoid falling into traps. Once you know the rules, you know what it means when they’re broken.

Spelling’s probably the first sort of rule, and Clark includes a chapter on how meanings can change where the wrong spelling or wrong word is used. Suddenly you’re not saying what you thought; your reader’s dragged out of the writing; you’re not playing the same game. But other grammar rules can be judiciously broken. We just have to know what we’re doing and why—be prepared for what the reader will see, and be ready to make sure it’s what we intend.

Clark’s chapters are written with delightful style, great voice, amazing examples, and just pure fun. (Yes, grammar can be fun!) There’s advice for aspiring writers that any of us could use—the value of the well-chosen long or short word, the nuances of sound or foreign phrase, the alliteration of short and long sentences… And then there are chapter endings with quick and easily read “Keepsakes.” There he might emphasize a point, help the reader practice a technique, or simply list the rules. (That’s how I learned how to punctuate my first paragraph.)

Clark doesn’t want to regiment our writing. He acknowledges how different countries (UK and US for example), industries (newspaper vs book), and even publishers have their own chosen styles. Obey the rules of your intended audience he says. But then he frees us to shift those chess pieces round and win the game.

Is grammar glamorous? It certainly is now. I love this book, and I’d recommend that everyone who loves reading or writing really should read it. I can hardly believe how lucky I was to get a copy to review—you’ll hardly believe how lucky you are if you get your own copy too. And, just for reference, since Roy Peter Clark is vice president and senior scholar at the Poynter Institute, I have no qualms about trusting him to give me, and you, the right facts.
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Mar 09, 2011 Steven rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: language

I chose to read this book because I thought my writing had been getting stale and slovenly of late. I halfway expected the dry, academic approach to what works and what doesn't work writing-wise -- a kind of modern day Strunk & White. One topic he doesn't cover is clichés, so I feel I can describe Clark's book as a "delightful romp?" There, I did it.

The books is composed of 50 mini-lessons on the effective usage of language, most of them 2-3 pages long, grouped into various categories, from...more

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Sep 11, 2010 Brenda Casto rated it 4 of 5 stars

Roy Peter Clark has taken the dull subject of Grammar and turned it into an interesting topic that I found quite enjoyable to read.
I really had no idea that the word grammar and glamour actually meant the same thing, but I do now, thanks to the author. He tells us to embrace grammar as a box of tools not a set of rules, and encourages us to read the dictionary for fun.
I really like how he ends each chapter with a little segment called Keepsakes, reviewing the most important points of the chapter...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Maria rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: People interested in grammar tips

Recommended to Maria by: I saw it on featured books table.

Shelves: professional-development

As with any skill we must progress through the basics before we earned the right to the interesting stuff. The same principle applies to this book. The first three chapters, which include valuable lessons, are not as interesting as the last two chapters.

In fact, the last couple chapters included a quote by Colin Powell (page 245) which added visual direction—he creates a complete story with his language. The quote isn’t about grammar, but it is an example of language crafted with wisdom. Also t...more

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Feb 25, 2012 Alexandria Baca rated it 5 of 5 stars Recommends it for: writers

Recommended to Alexandria by: N/A

Yes, I read a book about grammar, that magical glue that ties together our thoughts and ideas and helps us communicate with one another. And yes, I liked it.

Roy Peter Clark, longtime teacher at the Poynter Institute, is funny, down-to-earth (he even uses the f-word) and easy to understand. The full title of this book is, "The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English," and Clark's enthusiasm for the English language is inspiring.

I picked up this book after a par...more Yes, I read a book about grammar, that magical glue that ties together our thoughts and ideas and helps us communicate with one another. And yes, I liked it.

Roy Peter Clark, longtime teacher at the Poynter Institute, is funny, down-to-earth (he even uses the f-word) and easy to understand. The full title of this book is, "The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English," and Clark's enthusiasm for the English language is inspiring.

I picked up this book after a particularly satisfying week of copyediting at the Columbia Missourian. I had just subscribed to the Grammar Girl and Regret the Error blogs, I started regularly looking up words in the dictionary and I was feeling motivated to learn more about grammar. When I saw "The Glamour of Grammar" on the shelf of selected books at the MU Journalism Library, I figured it was fate. I grabbed my student ID, checked out the book and turned the first page that night.

One of my favorite things about this book is that it is an easy read, written in journalism style. Clark presents his grammar lessons in two to three page chapters, with a "keepsakes" list at the end to detail the main points of the chapter. But even if you chose to read 50 or 100 pages at a time, the lessons weren't so riddled with rules to be difficult to remember. Personally, Clark brought up a lot of grammar lessons I was already somewhat familiar with, but he explained the lessons in greater detail and example than I had been aware of. He also gave tips to more easily remember grammar standards, and his book includes appendices of commonly misspelled and confused words.

Clark advises breaking archaic grammar rules when they don't mean anything more, and he scolds prescriptionist grammarians who refuse to budge from steadfast and anachronistic usage. I'm still not sure how I feel about the Oxford comma (I avoid in journalistic writing), but Clark's section on punctuation was insightful and useful. I also liked his advice to hang out in specialized locations, like gay bars or computer clubs, to learn the slang of different groups and his guidelines on how to use sentence fragments (in the section on meaning).

Clark is the keynote speaker at the American Copy Editors Society national conference in April, which I'm attending, and I'm excited to meet the man whom I feel I've come to know by reading this book. I'd recommend this book for new and old language leaners alike, to both refresh what you might already know about grammar and learn at least a little something new. (less)

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Nov 10, 2012 Lucas rated it 4 of 5 stars

A clear, easy-to-read book with good practical advice for writers who want to improve their craft. Starts simple and slowly adds complexity without ever losing its clarity. Works as a good reference and pairs well with Strunk and White's "Elements." Manages to be entertaining on top of that, with loads of examples and some relatively sophisticated analysis of things like verb use, tone, and sentence shape. Probably not the place to go if you're looking for comprehensive analysis, but an awesome...more

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May 09, 2011 Stewart rated it 3 of 5 stars

Roy Peter Clark is a senior scholar at the Poynter Institute in Florida and has been a writing coach for many of his adult years. His 2010 book "The Glamour of Grammar" looks at parts of speech, punctuation, verb tenses, and other aspects of English language grammar. There was not much new for me in the book, but it is good to periodically get a refresher course in the basics of writing.
One chapter tackles the issue of using a serial comma, of writing "red, white, and blue" or "red, white and...more

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Jan 27, 2013 Donna marked it as didnt-finish

Shelves: library

Writing Tools is a favorite of mine, and I'm constantly rereading sections of it. This one has a similar structure and tone, but the author's reflections on words and punctuation just aren't working for me. I've been dutifully trying to read a chapter a night, but it feels like enough of a chore by this point that I'm going to return it to the library rather than continue on.

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May 22, 2011 Jennifer Defoy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: hachette-giveaway-books, 2011-reads

What I liked the most about this book is that it wasn't written like a grammar book. It was written more like a story that had grammar tips added into it. It was kind of like a copy of Writer's Inc. with a story behind it. And while I'd never get rid of my copy of Writer's Inc. I think this will make a nice addition to my grammar tools arsenal.

I have to admit that I'm not the best grammatical writer. I don't remember most of the rules I learned in school (frankly I didn't care to really remembe...more

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Sep 30, 2010 Peg rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: goodreads-giveaways

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I must admit I read this book in pieces. I found it much easier to absorb the information this way. Most surprising to me was the author's keen sense of humor. Humor is what keeps this from being a dry, boring read and what kept me returning to read piece after piece until I had completed it. Upon closing, several colored flags marked favorite passages. A quick count resulted in my four star rating.

Some of my favorite pieces:

*Adopt a favorite letter - "the letter O suggests an alluring or eroti...more

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Jun 30, 2010 Jules rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: sent-4-review, reviewed, gift-worthy

I found this to be an engaging and helpful book. Many times these guides can be rather dry and boring. Not so with this one. Mr. Clark has created an easy to follow guide through this mysterious language of ours. While this could be classified as a reference or "how-to" book, I felt it was primarily a "great read" that was actually fun.

The author is a big advocate of using the dictionary and immersing yourself in the words. He is obviously a master when it comes to both the construction and diss...more

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Aug 16, 2011 David rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: read-in-2011

This is a pretty decent book about English grammar. The author has a breezy style that was entertaining for a while, but became irritating by the end. Though certainly nowhere near as irritating as that Lynne Truss woman, or Strunk & White.

I can't say I really liked the book, though, which is why I am sticking at two stars.

I have the Kindle version, and the whole time I read it I wished it was in physical book form. This happens to me for about 20% of the books I read as e-books; in trying...more

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Jun 15, 2011 Vicky rated it 2 of 5 stars

I liked this book at the beginning but it became boring at the end. Yes, English is a language that escapes all boundaries, rules and structures. The complexity of English is a big challenge for anyone who was not born into it. Words are so often confusing, spelling is incomprehensible and punctuation often opens to interpretation. With the spell-check options, abbreviations and modern slang to be a literate person is not an easy task. I suggest trying the list of the most misspelled words at th...more

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Oct 06, 2011 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

And you thought grammar was boring? This racy little book will sate your appetite for all things ungrammatical. While I'm sort of just kidding, this book really had more sexual refferences and offensive language than most of the bestsellers I've read--which is a huge draw back for me. However, I really liked how the book was less about rules and more about using the rules to enhance your writing. The first third of the book was the most engaging and useful to me, and I would highly recommend it....more

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Jan 24, 2013 Voracious_reader rated it 3 of 5 stars

My worst fear when writing a review of a grammar or style manual is that I’ll make some sort of typographical error that will lead readers to think things, like “Did she even read this thing? Skimming doesn’t count” or “See there’s a fine example of what American schools produce today: illiterates.”

The Glamour of Grammar receives cautious thumbs up from me. Roy Peter Clark is obviously a wonderful writer; he appreciates the magic of words; he distills difficult concepts down to first principles...more

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Sep 20, 2011 Michael Poteet rated it 4 of 5 stars

Much more than a refresher of things like "lie vs. lay" (which would be helpful enough in itself), Clark's book is a surprisingly entertaining reminder of everything that makes the English language amazing. The best part are the excerpts from top-flight writers; they'll make you think, "Boy, I wish I could write like that!" And then Clark will tell you how you can. Highly recommended for anyone writing fiction or non-fiction.

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Oct 25, 2010 Bob Lopez rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'm gonna give it three and a half stars because, while I found the book to be interesting, informative, and clever (and it certainly taught me a few things), I couldn't get past the author's voice. For much of the book, it felt like he was impressed with his own cleverness and knowledge, and less concerned with his audience. Still, quite enjoyable and easily digestible.

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Aug 17, 2012 Rita Kay rated it 4 of 5 stars

Linguistics and writing have long been interests of mine. I found this book interesting as it not only discussed grammar basics but also gave intriguing examples from literature. This would not appeal to everyone, but I concur with the writer's opinion that grammar is not so much about rules as about tools for effective communication.

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Jan 07, 2012 KatherineJ Barrett rated it 4 of 5 stars

Clark's infusion of personal narrative into grammar lesson makes his book both easy to read and easy to remember. He calls his lessons "practical magic" and hopes they will transform language into powerful purpose. See my full review here: http://www.literarymama.com/reviews/a...

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Dec 17, 2010 Sherry rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is a really good book. Easy to read and very entertaining. I was enjoying it so much that I didn't really notice actually learning anything. I'm pretty sure I did learn a lot though..at least I am paying more attention to punctuation these days. And now I know that grammar and glamour are not so different!

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Mar 03, 2013 Sarah rated it 2 of 5 stars

Some funny bits, but no great shakes. It seems unfair to compare this book to classics, but I'm going to do it anyway: For advice on grammar, go to "The Elements of Style"; for advice on crafting prose, "On Writing Well" is your first stop. And, though I wouldn't call it a classic, "Anguished English" is a better bet for word-nerd humor.

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Jun 06, 2011 Michelle rated it 4 of 5 stars

What a superb book on grammar! Not only because of its clear and concise explanation of some baffling, confusing concepts, but also because of really engaging writing. A grammar book written by someone in love with language, rather than by someone who has his or her nickers in a twist over the rules. Love.

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Dec 11, 2010 Tobin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: best-non-fiction

This text is bordering on "absolute must have" for anyone who aspires to write. If you write, this is a book that will educate you on at least a few things that you probably knew but didn't realize. Topics like punctuation, meaning, and even semi-colons are covered.

It's laid out in a quick-hit fashion with take-aways for each topic.

-tpl

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Mar 06, 2012 Ivan Soto rated it 4 of 5 stars

Any lover or diligent user of the English language should find, as I did, a lovely and practical guide in this book. Each of its 50 chapters is short, well-focused, and ends with a list of the main points discussed in the chapter--keepsakes, the author calls them. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!

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About Roy Peter Clark

By many accounts, Roy Peter Clark is America’s writing coach, a teacher devoted to creating a nation of writers. A Google search on his name reveals an astonishing web of influence, not just in the United States, but also around the world. His work has erased many boundaries. A Ph.D. in medieval literature, he is widely considered one of the most influential writing teachers in the rough-and-tumbl...more By many accounts, Roy Peter Clark is America’s writing coach, a teacher devoted to creating a nation of writers. A Google search on his name reveals an astonishing web of influence, not just in the United States, but also around the world. His work has erased many boundaries. A Ph.D. in medieval literature, he is widely considered one of the most influential writing teachers in the rough-and-tumble world of newspaper journalism. With a deep background in traditional media, his work has illuminated, on the Internet, the discussion of writing. He has gained fame by teaching writing to children, and he has nurtured Pulitzer Prize-winning writers such as Thomas French and Diana Sugg. He is a teacher who writes, and a writer who teaches. That combination gives his most recent book, “Writing Tools,” a special credibility.

More credibility comes from Clark’s long service at The Poynter Institute. Clark has worked full-time at Poynter since 1979 as director of the writing center, dean of the faculty, senior scholar and vice president.

Clark was born in 1948 on the Lower East Side of New York City and raised on Long Island, where he attended Catholic schools. He graduated from Providence College in Rhode Island with a degree in English and earned a Ph.D. from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In 1977 Clark was hired by the St. Petersburg Times to become one of America’s first writing coaches. He worked with the American Society of Newspaper Editors to improve newspaper writing nationwide. Because of his work with ASNE, Clark was elected as a distinguished service member, a rare honor for a journalist who has never edited a newspaper.

Clark is the author or editor of 14 books on journalism and writing. These include “Free to Write: A Journalist Teaches Young Writers”; “Coaching Writers: Editors and Reporters Working Together Across Media Platforms”; “America’s Best Newspaper Writing”; “The Values and Craft of American Journalism”; “The Changing South of Gene Patterson: Journalism and Civil Rights, 1960-1968″; and, most recently, “Writing Tools: 50 Essential Strategies for Every Writer.”
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BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8506640-the-glamour-of-grammar?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1344265700l/8506640.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8506640-the-glamour-of-grammar?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English by Roy Peter Clark[/url]

The Glamour of Grammar: A Guide to the Magic and Mystery of Practical English

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