A dictionary of words writers and in particular journalists struggle to use correctly. Most words have an example from a headline or piece of a newspaper article.

Not exactly easy reading, although it wasn't long it's better used for reference or skimming. I found it quite pedantic because language is so fluid and if over 90% of the population uses a word a certain way or with a certain meaning can't we agree that is correct?

I borrowed a copy but found that I won't be able to finish it, as it's basically a handbook/dictionary, I should come back more often. So I bought a copy instead. May pick it up from time to time.

I taught middle school grammar for six years, and my favorite part of the grammar book (didn't you have a favorite part of the middle school grammar book?) was always the glossary of usage. I saved that part of the curriculum for the end of the year, like a desert that you look forward to throughout a long meal.

"Class, do you know when to use 'fewer' instead of 'less'? No? Oh, goodie."

After the joyful experience I had reading A Short History of Nearly Everything, I wanted to check out more Bryson, and when I saw this title, I knew I was going for it. This book is just what it says it is, a dictionary, and it is arranged as such. So I started with the "a/an" entry and went along all the way through"z" and onto the appendix.

It would take a pedant to write such a book, and Bryson does not disappoint. Some people might find his points to be esoteric and his tone to be that of a humorless martinet. I sure did, and I loved just about every minute of it. Here's what I learned.

1. I make many, many mistakes in my writing. Bryson could look at the four short paragraphs above and find multiple errors in usage. Look! I misspelled "dessert!" The comma after "title" in the third paragraph is suspect. I could have used hyphens to introduce the non-essential phrase ("a dictionary") instead of commas. Bryson's disapproving voice reverberates in my mind every time I write a sentence.

2. It's okay to end your sentence with a preposition. If you are the kind of person who will break his back to avoid ending your sentence with one of these offenders (or, like me, even ending with a prepositional phrase), you need to get over yourself. There's nothing wrong with it, and the rule you are following has been deemed unnecessary for over a hundred years.

3. You should read his rule on when to use "shall" versus "will."
Authorities have been trying to pin down the vagaries and nuances of "shall" and "will" since the seventeenth century... The gist of what they have to say is that either you understand the distinctions instinctively or you do not; that if you don't, you probably never will; and that if you do, you don't need to be told anyway.

4. The show Good Morning America should be called Good Morning, America. Of course it should.

Probably only interesting to people who are writing nerds as well as Bill Bryson fans. I'm both, so.

linguistics babey!!!!





i am aware i am the only person in the world who finds this interesting.

Not a book to read straight through, but a good reference book when you have usage, grammar, or spelling questions. Journalists, bloggers, or anyone else who wants to make a living by their writing or communication skills would benefit from this book.

It turns out that inputting a period at the end of abbreviated words like Dr., Mr., and St. are all wrong because the custom is that the punctuation is added when the last letter of abbreviation is the last letter of the full word (e.g. Dr for Doctor) but not for all other instances (e.g. Capt. for Captain). In a lengthy segment devoted to comma, which Bryson calls the "the most abused of all punctuation marks", when a second clause in a sentence could stand alone as a sentence it has to be within dashes or parentheses. In If suppositions where the sentiment ranges from being untrue to hypothetical, which are known as subjunctives, the verb should be in the subjunctive: If I were you.... However, if the expression is true or could be true then the mood should be indicative: If I was happy.... The book also explains the use of appropriate verbs in sentences with neither, the many rules surrounding the use of numbers, the importance of where to place only, the confusing distinction between who and whom, and correct usage of numerous other aspects of written English. Avoidance of tautological phrases (e.g., join together, weather conditions, and reason...is because) and phrasal verbs (e.g., sell off and cut down), and the superfluous nature of new is recommended as well. Bryson's style fluctuates between that of a supreme authority on formal written English with sharp sarcastic remarks shot mostly at pieces from The Times newspaper and a progressivist who questions the rigidness of some of the language's grammar. It'll definitely be on my desk instead on a bookshelf. Only if there had been an entry on paragraphs.

4.5/5

I might be starting towards lexophilia, but this book is the only dictionary/ thesaurus that I can seriously read. That is sit and read through it one word at a time. The only disadvantage is that it tends to make one nervous in one's own writing and want to check everything with Bryson just in case you have just made another almighty clanger.

It was given to my by a lovely friend and it has proven to be a delight, you can't categorize it well, it isn't really a dictionary and it's not a thesaurus either. It is a 'get out of jail free card' for those of us who would prefer to avoid making stupid mistakes in our writing. More to the point, even if you are feeling bad, Bryson will have an example of a more famous author, journalist or copywriter who has dropped the same clanger and one can at least relax in the knowledge that one is in good company.

If you write anything ,for anyone in the English language then this book should be on your shelf, or better still next to your keyboard.

Deep learning lightly worn.

I enjoyed the book immensely. I have a streak of grammatical pedantry in me so I do delight in reading books on grammar and right and proper usage. It’s a book that can be read simply for Bill Bryson’s wit and knowledge; it’s also an invaluable reference book when in doubt about some issue of grammar or proper use of English. It’s something to which I will often return.

This hurt my dyslexic brain!

If you've ever wished there were a dictionary/grammar/usage book with jokes in it, it's this. Some may use this book as a reference book, I very sadly read it cover to cover over a long period of time, and enjoyed it!

The perfect complement to a library or coffee table! If you're a lover of words, this is probably the most entertaining way to explore them. Even if you only read a page at a time, it's worth it.