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savaging's review against another edition
3.0
There are two virtues to this book. The first is the final chapter, written entirely by E.B. White. The second is that the entire book is short, so you only have to read old Billy Strunk for sixty pages or so.
Strunk approaches "proper English" from a police-force position. Ergo, I feel a bit of glee over his losses (we use "hopefully" to mean "if all goes well," we use "they" for the third person singular, we join independent clauses with a comma). He has great, useful advice, but when he fights against the corruption of "the language" and fails, it feels like a win for the Rebels against the Empire.
But White, on the other hand, writes as a comrade, not posting rules but rather reminding us how our comrade-readers will have to struggle through dense, vapid, weak, or bizarre prose.
Probably this book could make anyone a less-bad writer.
Strunk approaches "proper English" from a police-force position. Ergo, I feel a bit of glee over his losses (we use "hopefully" to mean "if all goes well," we use "they" for the third person singular, we join independent clauses with a comma). He has great, useful advice, but when he fights against the corruption of "the language" and fails, it feels like a win for the Rebels against the Empire.
But White, on the other hand, writes as a comrade, not posting rules but rather reminding us how our comrade-readers will have to struggle through dense, vapid, weak, or bizarre prose.
Probably this book could make anyone a less-bad writer.
mandalor3960's review against another edition
4.0
The Elements of Style contains a lot of great teachings on using English in writing and it's something that every writer should read and keep handy. Some writers and reviewers argue that it's archaic and in need of revision, but it echoes a finer English and rules and reminders that are generally still accepted today. This book will stand as the beholder of English Grammar Rules until it becomes as old as Shakespeare's work.
Rating Update 4/3/2019 - 5 to 4 stars. I was too generous with the 4 stars. It is a great resource book but it did not consume me like a 5 star book would. A lot of it was hard to sift through seeing that I took a while to finish reading it.
Rating Update 27 May 2019
Four stars to three stars. As the previous update says, "a lot of it was hard to sift through seeing that I took a while to finish reading it". Therefore, I have lowered the rating, since a three star rating would be a better cumulative rating that includes the few five star rated sections, the four star rated sections, and the myriad amount of three and two star rated sections.
Rating Update 5 June 2019
With the adoption of my new rating system, a five star rating is befitting. I recall reading this book for the first time and being dumbfounded by the amount of mistakes I had previously committed. This book was an eyeopener and I considered it worthy of a five star rating, not so much because the impression it left on me, but the impression of cherishing this book because of its Bible status as a resource book for writing and consider it a must-need book alongside other five star rated books that I enjoyed because of their entertainment value. I would rated "The Elements of Style" at four stars but if it was not perfect and had flaws. For now a five star rating is a safe rating.
September 7, 2019
Update
I cannot remember if this book changed my perspective and had a profound influence on me, but I will have to trust my memory of these assertions. To attain a five star rating, the book must fulfill these requirements.
September 8, 2019
Update
I have debated whether this book deserves a five or four star-rating. The reason behind this is that I do not think that the first reading of this book had the feeling of a five star-rating, the it-was-amazing feeling, but rather the four star-rating feeling of really-liking-it. I looked at my five star-rated books and "The Elements of Style" feels out of place. I had always previously rated this book at five stars and colored it green, but now I color it grey because I cannot remember my initial feeling towards the book. I will leave it at five stars because the book prompted me to buy a copy, something which I rarely do for books, albeit, that was at a time when I did not consider modes outside of going to a bookstore to acquire books. I believe I must have been extremely surprised and taken back by learning new things in this book, which would allow for a five star-rating.
January 18, 2020
Rating Update
Five stars to four stars. I am more certain that I felt a "really liked" feeling towards this book, than a "it was amazing" feeling. I also feel that later sections in the book, although being somewhat of a drag to read, were respected by me and taken in as good information. I cannot see this book crossing into the five star, "it was amazing" territory. A four star-rating is a safer rating since I cannot remember my feelings, though, I would not go lower than four stars. Though I am unsure why I bought the book originally, I believe it was based on a four star-rated feeling of, "this books has great content and I have it at lengthsway".
I must also state that even though the original review harps about the antiquated sections, I do not believe this made me dislike those sections, rather I was explaining my indifference to the antiquated sections that other reviewers complained about.
Four stars to three stars. As the previous update says, "a lot of it was hard to sift through seeing that I took a while to finish reading it". Therefore, I have lowered the rating, since a three star rating would be a better cumulative rating that includes the few five star rated sections, the four star rated sections, and the myriad amount of three and two star rated sections.
Rating Update 5 June 2019
With the adoption of my new rating system, a five star rating is befitting. I recall reading this book for the first time and being dumbfounded by the amount of mistakes I had previously committed. This book was an eyeopener and I considered it worthy of a five star rating, not so much because the impression it left on me, but the impression of cherishing this book because of its Bible status as a resource book for writing and consider it a must-need book alongside other five star rated books that I enjoyed because of their entertainment value. I would rated "The Elements of Style" at four stars but if it was not perfect and had flaws. For now a five star rating is a safe rating.
September 7, 2019
Update
I cannot remember if this book changed my perspective and had a profound influence on me, but I will have to trust my memory of these assertions. To attain a five star rating, the book must fulfill these requirements.
September 8, 2019
Update
I have debated whether this book deserves a five or four star-rating. The reason behind this is that I do not think that the first reading of this book had the feeling of a five star-rating, the it-was-amazing feeling, but rather the four star-rating feeling of really-liking-it. I looked at my five star-rated books and "The Elements of Style" feels out of place. I had always previously rated this book at five stars and colored it green, but now I color it grey because I cannot remember my initial feeling towards the book. I will leave it at five stars because the book prompted me to buy a copy, something which I rarely do for books, albeit, that was at a time when I did not consider modes outside of going to a bookstore to acquire books. I believe I must have been extremely surprised and taken back by learning new things in this book, which would allow for a five star-rating.
January 18, 2020
Rating Update
Five stars to four stars. I am more certain that I felt a "really liked" feeling towards this book, than a "it was amazing" feeling. I also feel that later sections in the book, although being somewhat of a drag to read, were respected by me and taken in as good information. I cannot see this book crossing into the five star, "it was amazing" territory. A four star-rating is a safer rating since I cannot remember my feelings, though, I would not go lower than four stars. Though I am unsure why I bought the book originally, I believe it was based on a four star-rated feeling of, "this books has great content and I have it at lengthsway".
I must also state that even though the original review harps about the antiquated sections, I do not believe this made me dislike those sections, rather I was explaining my indifference to the antiquated sections that other reviewers complained about.
mandalor3960's review against another edition
2.0
This book still stands as an essential reference book for writing, but I find that some aspects of the book are antiquated.
Rating Update 26 May 2019
Four stars to two stars. This book was a trudge to get through, as evident through my page progression dates which would have lowered the rating of this book to one star, however, the content was good so the rating becomes two stars.
August 18, 2019
Update
With the adoption of my new rating system, a two star rating is befitting. The original review, original rating, and rating update from March 26, 2019, conform to the new rating system. I recall this book as a good reference book. Unfortunately, I was bored reading through it and dissapointed that this second reading of "The Elements of Style" was not as enjoyable as the first. I have left it at a two star rating since it is helpful but brought down because I did not enjoy reading it. However, I am at odds with whether this should be a three star-rated book since it is extremely helpful as a resource book, and the aurora it gives off on reflection now more than two years later, is pleasant. A two star rating is an unstable rating for now.
January 18, 2020
Update
I have kept the rating at two stars because I am unsure whether I found this to be a beneficial book that I enjoyed after reading it. At the time of writing the update form August 18, 2019 and even now, I find the book to deserve three stars, though I am not sure if that is how I felt after originally finishing this book. If this were true, it would raise the rating of the book to three stars.
Rating Update 26 May 2019
Four stars to two stars. This book was a trudge to get through, as evident through my page progression dates which would have lowered the rating of this book to one star, however, the content was good so the rating becomes two stars.
August 18, 2019
Update
With the adoption of my new rating system, a two star rating is befitting. The original review, original rating, and rating update from March 26, 2019, conform to the new rating system. I recall this book as a good reference book. Unfortunately, I was bored reading through it and dissapointed that this second reading of "The Elements of Style" was not as enjoyable as the first. I have left it at a two star rating since it is helpful but brought down because I did not enjoy reading it. However, I am at odds with whether this should be a three star-rated book since it is extremely helpful as a resource book, and the aurora it gives off on reflection now more than two years later, is pleasant. A two star rating is an unstable rating for now.
January 18, 2020
Update
I have kept the rating at two stars because I am unsure whether I found this to be a beneficial book that I enjoyed after reading it. At the time of writing the update form August 18, 2019 and even now, I find the book to deserve three stars, though I am not sure if that is how I felt after originally finishing this book. If this were true, it would raise the rating of the book to three stars.
4lbxrtoii's review against another edition
2.0
offers traditionalist rules with a reluctance to embrace contemporary styles, but while the book is an interesting read, its guidelines should be taken with a grain of salt, recognizing that they aren't definitive criteria for good writing or authorship, but rather useful starting points for those embarking on their writing journey.
bibliobrandie's review against another edition
4.0
Enjoyed rereading the (newer) illustrated version very much!
khaliah's review against another edition
5.0
I know I should have read this by now....in fact I think I did, but I've forgotten all I learned....