Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice for the Grammatically Challenged

by Richard Lederer, Richard Dowis

Book by Richard Lederer, Richard Dowis

Genres: Language, Nonfiction, Writing, Reference

212 pages, Paperback

First published September 10, 1999

About the author

Richard Lederer is the author of more than 35 books about language, history, and humor, including his best-selling Anguished English series and his current book, The Gift of Age. He has been profiled in magazines as diverse as The New Yorker, People, and the National Enquirer and frequently appears on radio as a commentator on language. He has been named International Punster of the Year and Toastmasters International's Golden Gavel winner.

He is the father of author and poet Katy Lederer and poker players Howard Lederer and Annie Duke.

Reviews

[Manybooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

So yes, with regard to the practical advice on English grammar (and to a certain extent also moving on to questions of word order and syntax), Richard Lederer’s (and Richard Dowis’) 1999 Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged has been both enlighteningly thorough and also generally readable and sufficiently approachable and thankfully also with not too much annoying and often frustrating linguistic jargon (although no and indeed, I personally have not really found any English grammar questions, problems and information that are truly novel and unknown to me within the pages of Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged, but I definitely do much appreciate and will certainly consider for my own writing the given suggestion that with regard to using the pronouns his/her continuously in a single sentence, if one ends up with a situation such as that, it would definitely make a lot more common sense to simply rewrite the sentence in question and thus totally skip over and avoid any potential grammatical gender issues).

However, although I do find ALL of the presented grammar based considerations encountered in Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged reasonable, linguistically correct and making total sense both grammatically and concerning sentence legibility and comprehensibility, on a personal and emotional level, I am actually not at all sure that I would be recommending Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged to any of my students and in particular that I would really and majorly hesitate with any recommendation to ESL learners. For my thematic and contents based appreciation of Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged notwithstanding, I do tend to find the joint authors’ general tone of narrative voice often more than a bit smug, arrogantly preachy and also rather impatient.

And indeed, if I were actually having bona fide and serious issues with questions of English grammar and usage, both the book title calling me grammatically challenged and the textual feeling that especially Richard Lederer is basically mostly only very much grudgingly tolerating me and is finding my and his readers’ grammar problems and questions rather laughable and ridiculous in and of themselves, this certainly would not make me continue reading Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged with any kind of actual pleasure. Because honestly, who wants to be or feel insulted, and even though the author tone encountered in Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged is more than likely not in any manner ever deliberately disparaging, sorry, but I am most definitely feeling its presence, and which is why even though the actual grammar suggestions Richard Lederer and and Richard Dowis provide and offer are solidly four stars, their stylistics and tone lower my rating for Sleeping Dogs Don't Lay: Practical Advice For The Grammatically Challenged to only a very low three stars (and to be recommended only with major caveats and reservations).

[Countess of Frogmere · Rating 2 out of 5]

Oops, I did again. Yet another "fun" take on grammar. You'd be best to buy Strunk and White's Elements of Style and leave this one in the bookstore.

[Natalie F · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book is somewhat dry despite having pun in its name. However, it's incredible useful for everyone who wants to improve their writing skills whether they write stories or business emails. I plan to recommend it both to my colleagues and to any students I know including my daughter who thinks her pompous writing style and long words stand for sophistication :) And, if you still see errors in my reviews, keep in mind that English is not my mother tongue...

[Nohreen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun & quick read for English language nerds like me. This book is not as funny as the Anguished English book he also wrote, but the humor is woven in while aiming to teach & educate. Lederer aspired in this book to clear the confusion between many commonly ill-used words, like lay & lie. I great book to read & have for future reference. All this typing made me a bit tired, I need to lie (not lay) down. :)

[Erika · Rating 4 out of 5]

yes, grammar CAN be fun!
fun and helpful guide

[Paul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book for anyone who enjoys the English language.

[Jan Ackerson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Not your typical Lederer book, this one gives grammar advice infused with humor. Ahhhhhhhhhh.

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rather an amusing approach to look at grammar.

I have yet to find the perfect all-around grammar book.

[Barb H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lederer is a clever, entertaining writer. Clearly this intelligent punster shares my love of language!

[Desiree · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very good!

[Michael J Blane · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found it informative, I'm sure I learned something new (to me). However, near the end (I read it on Kindle, so difficult to return and find the exact quote) they mention "... there are better ways to ..." and then go on to say "One of the best is ..." — I found "one of the best" to be grammatically offensive. "Best" is singular, there is only one best. — If they'd said, after "there are better ways" "and one is ..." would that not have sufficed?

Just my 2¢

[Tonya Jakubowski · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just for fun!

[Riley Pearson · Rating 5 out of 5]

A hilarious, fast, and essential read for those interested in writing.

[Cheryl Blask · Rating 5 out of 5]

A gem!

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

I can’t believe how many words I have been using wrong. I have an English degree and thought I had a pretty good handle on the language, but I learned plenty from this book. I will definitely be holding on to it for referencing in the future.

I think the tone could be a bit more approachable, there could be less shaming of bad writing. And the advice is dated in places. But many of the suggestions will stand the test of time, and some of the tips are handy no matter the type of writing.