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angelweave's review against another edition
4.0
I mostly agree - some additional humor would have helped things, though.
nmcspadd's review against another edition
5.0
It doesn't get more elemental, crisp, or perfect than good ol' Strunk & White.
crankylibrarian's review against another edition
4.0
"Omit needless words!" Still the best primer on clear, concise writing.
cdraney's review against another edition
2.0
Strunk & White are icons of correctness, but I caution against taking their little book as gospel truth. Better than adhering slavishly to any style manual, just write, write, write (and write some more). Together with wide and much beloved reading, that tutelage of experience will make you a better writer than any writing teacher or style book.
thekarpuk's review against another edition
5.0
Some books deserve highlighting. I'm normally averse to abusing a book, but my copy of Elements of Style is now dog-eared, bent up, and bleeding through from all the highlighter ink.
It's hard to tell exactly how much E.B. White added when he revised the work of Professor Strunk, but I would attribute a lot of the warmth and cleverness to the rewrite, as it comes from the same man who wrote Charlotte's Web.
If there's one flaw in the slim volume, it's in the beginning, which starts off cataloguing a large number of punctuation and grammar rules. This section made me realize how ignorant I am on the subject. I had to flip to the back to read through the glossary many times to weather through it. It's all useful, and I now feel compelled to step up my game. Currently I'm reading through Wikipedia's Guide to English Grammar.
Everything past that is plain, very sensible advice on how to write with greater clarity and purpose. Many pitfalls and common issues are outlined in an easy to understand fashion.
The greatest thing I walked away with was the greater understanding of the books titular focus (eesh, the book makes me self conscious about using words like that), style, and how it really develops.
Many new writers, and occasionally even professional ones, have tendency to think of style as something that only exists if you add a million flourishes, adding excessive adjectives, adverbs, and convoluted sentence structures. Strunk and White suggest that even with all the excess stripped out, the writer's style is still there, and in some ways a streamlined approach enhances it.
Elements of Style is an valuable tool for any writer.
It's hard to tell exactly how much E.B. White added when he revised the work of Professor Strunk, but I would attribute a lot of the warmth and cleverness to the rewrite, as it comes from the same man who wrote Charlotte's Web.
If there's one flaw in the slim volume, it's in the beginning, which starts off cataloguing a large number of punctuation and grammar rules. This section made me realize how ignorant I am on the subject. I had to flip to the back to read through the glossary many times to weather through it. It's all useful, and I now feel compelled to step up my game. Currently I'm reading through Wikipedia's Guide to English Grammar.
Everything past that is plain, very sensible advice on how to write with greater clarity and purpose. Many pitfalls and common issues are outlined in an easy to understand fashion.
The greatest thing I walked away with was the greater understanding of the books titular focus (eesh, the book makes me self conscious about using words like that), style, and how it really develops.
Many new writers, and occasionally even professional ones, have tendency to think of style as something that only exists if you add a million flourishes, adding excessive adjectives, adverbs, and convoluted sentence structures. Strunk and White suggest that even with all the excess stripped out, the writer's style is still there, and in some ways a streamlined approach enhances it.
Elements of Style is an valuable tool for any writer.
venkyloquist's review against another edition
5.0
"The Elements of Style" is a timeless classic. The first edition of this enduring epic was published in 1919. The author William Strunk Jr. used the book as a reference for teaching the nuances of English to his students at Cornell University. Since the passing of Professor Strunk, the task of revising and updating the book was undertaken by his able pupil Elwyn Brooks White. Almost a century has gone by since this book first saw the light of the day. The passing years have not diminished the value of this tiny book which can be safely tucked into a trouser pocket. "The Elements of Style" has become an indispensable tool for anyone aspiring to write in English. The book has attained such legendary folklore that in literary circles, it is popularly referred to as "Strunk & White".
Using compelling rhetoric, the book introduces to the reader 11 elementary rules of usage, in addition to elucidating 11 more principles of composition. These rules and principles serve as a reliable beacon to any writer putting pen to paper. Adopting a mix of humour and stern warnings, Professor Strunk (who had this unique habit of imparting key instructions to his students by repeating them thrice) warns the reader of some common follies and easily cultivable, albeit undesirable writing habits that needs to be abhorred with determination. E.B.White's bonus material on an Approach to Style (with some reminders) is an added encouragement in the Fourth Edition of this book.
"The Elements Of Style" - Read it; Re-read it and NEVER stop reading it!
Using compelling rhetoric, the book introduces to the reader 11 elementary rules of usage, in addition to elucidating 11 more principles of composition. These rules and principles serve as a reliable beacon to any writer putting pen to paper. Adopting a mix of humour and stern warnings, Professor Strunk (who had this unique habit of imparting key instructions to his students by repeating them thrice) warns the reader of some common follies and easily cultivable, albeit undesirable writing habits that needs to be abhorred with determination. E.B.White's bonus material on an Approach to Style (with some reminders) is an added encouragement in the Fourth Edition of this book.
"The Elements Of Style" - Read it; Re-read it and NEVER stop reading it!
booktalkwithkarla's review against another edition
5.0
Written by William Strunk Jr. and E.B. White, The Elements of Style is a master work, short in pages and long in effectiveness. It is possible to read from beginning to end to understand the elements and contents of the book. And it is possible to use the table of contents to find what specific point needed for clarification.
The authors set out to give us the fundamentals of English language in a positive and direct manner. And they did.
This book is as gold to me. Reading good books, I have learned many of the elements from author’s use (or misuse) of words, of rules, of composition, or of style. Yet there is still much to learn. Here is a little book with the elements all in one place, with helpful examples that teach. Through the regular touching of its pages, I will wear this book out, and thus craft better writing than I would had I not read it.
The authors set out to give us the fundamentals of English language in a positive and direct manner. And they did.
This book is as gold to me. Reading good books, I have learned many of the elements from author’s use (or misuse) of words, of rules, of composition, or of style. Yet there is still much to learn. Here is a little book with the elements all in one place, with helpful examples that teach. Through the regular touching of its pages, I will wear this book out, and thus craft better writing than I would had I not read it.
alanathehangry's review against another edition
4.0
A classic, through and through, with no nonsense. It spells all writing lessons into neat and orderly numbered rules or is alphabetized on items that cannot be classified as a rule. I learned a good deal and will keep this on my bookshelf for reference. There are a great many lessons, definitions, and examples of proper usage throughout this book.
A few parts feel outdated, but it's easy to recognize and pass over. The writer has good humor, too, and you may find yourself chuckling along the way.
A few parts feel outdated, but it's easy to recognize and pass over. The writer has good humor, too, and you may find yourself chuckling along the way.
rogue007's review against another edition
4.0
I was pleasantly surprised to learn that I already knew some of these rules. Very quick read. I'll definitely return to this guide in the future.