The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
Posted by admin | Posted in Medicine | Posted on 14-08-2010
5
- ISBN13: 9780205309023
- Condition: New
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Product Description
Contains rules of grammar phrased as direct orders and provides the principal requirements of plain English style. Concentrates on fundamentals: the rules of usage and principles of composition most commonly violated. Softcover. DLC: English language–Style. Amazon.com Review
A masterpiece in the art of clear and concise writing, and an exemplar of the principles it explains.
The Elements of Style, Fourth Edition
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This is a very poor book on grammar. While it is probably written correctly, it is simply not accessible to the general public. I threw out my copy of Strunk and White many years ago. It was hard to follow, complicated, and written in a “style” that was very Cornell Academic! Sure, we can look at it as a relic in the history of English writing, but just don’t try to use it as a desk reference book!
(By the way, I replaced my copy with the St. Martin’s Handbook)
Rating: 1 / 5
One word from _The New York Times_ quote on the cover of this book (my edition, anyway) speaks volumes.
“volubility”
Whazzat mean? Right away I’m put off. Right away I’m looking for something else to read. Maybe take Wordsworth’s advice and listen to the song of the wood linnet. Books like this _are_ a dull and endless strife.
English major. Graduated cum laude. Read several hundred books.
This book is full of pompous, didactic sentences such as, “Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding ’s.”
I say, “Form the possessive of singular nouns by adding pineapples!”
Sure, it’s a Dadaist sentiment. But I think a lot of great writers, paradoxically, began making sense of their writing by abandoning sense and rules (the stuff of editors). And a good editor is in league with that grand purpose of bringing the author’s noblest intent to fruition.
Use rules when you risk being misunderstood if you don’t use them.
The best insight into good writing, in my opinion, comes not from a professional writer but from the philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, speaking of the ancient Roman and Greek writers: “I’ve always been a lover of the short sentence and the pointed aphorism.” Read his _Twilight of the Idols_ for stunning writing and short sentences full of meaning and madness.
And leave this book to the pedants.
Rating: 1 / 5
Serious composition teachers no longer use this book. Many of the prescriptive imperatives within its pages are vague, arbitrary, or flat-out wrong.
Students don’t learn to write by flipping through a style guide while writing papers.
Rating: 1 / 5
I suppose that this book might be of some use as an antidote for semi-literate Americans who’ve read one too many articles by William F. Buckley and decided that they’d like to posess his “eloquence.” But for anyone who thinks that written English should aspire to beauty rather than mere functionality, it’s about 100 pages of the worst imaginable sanctimonius claptrap, pressed between two glossy little covers.
Rating: 1 / 5
It has been over a month since my order and I have still not recieved my book.You-Amazon just refer me tosome obscure bookseller to chase down my purchase.I will make sure my credit card company does not pay you anything.How is that for a review?
Rating: 1 / 5