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betamax's review against another edition
informative
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.0
A light read which has definitely affected me into using the semicolon a lot more often.
writesdave's review against another edition
challenging
funny
informative
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
4.5
I rarely read other reviews of any book, but I don't know how many describe a couple hundred pages about a punctuation mark as "fun." And this was fun. Really.
Watson takes an exhaustive (but not exhausting) view of a reviled punctuation mark and offers prime examples of proper use, misuse and overuse, while leaving the reader to decide the semicolon's efficacy. A great book for writers in particular, it is one of those books you didn't know you needed.
Watson takes an exhaustive (but not exhausting) view of a reviled punctuation mark and offers prime examples of proper use, misuse and overuse, while leaving the reader to decide the semicolon's efficacy. A great book for writers in particular, it is one of those books you didn't know you needed.
michalow's review against another edition
5.0
This book is about semicolons, but it is also about the versatility of language and the tension between style and prescriptive grammar. It's a quick and enjoyable read, thanks to Watson's lively and witty writing. Should be required reading for every editor!
sparkdust's review against another edition
challenging
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
lyricluciferin's review against another edition
5.0
I finally finished reading the last little bit of this today, it's been a while since I read most of this; I simply fell off because I was already reading so much academic stuff again. I really really enjoyed how this was filled with a lot of history, but in a way that was both comedic and doesn't shy away from engaging in the politics and imperialism entrenched in the rules in a way a Lot of academic writing does. One of the few non-fiction books I know I would re-read again soon, there's so much conscious choice in what this book is doing. Not only is this a really interesting read on writing and grammar, I also think it's more accessible to non-academics than a lot of non-fiction that is technically targeted towards lay readers, both because of its conciseness and the author's voice.
lauralhart's review against another edition
4.0
3.5. Less a book focused on the semicolon and more a book that uses the semicolon as a gateway to discussion of punctuation and grammar descriptivism (as opposed to grammar prescriptivism). Meandering because it probably should’ve been shorter, but still a pleasant, quick read.
readingwithaddi's review against another edition
Not in the mood. Should read later.