I never thought I would say this about a book, but every writer needs to read this book.

Hell, if you plan on writing anything you should read this book. The title is very misleading. Anyone who came across it for the first time might think it was a book about "style" as an artform.

For those who are worried about the pedantry of writing, this book is mostly about grammar and what can be more effective in using the English language. This needs to be in the curriculum for high schools, especially now when grammar is being forgotten so that people can e-mail and sound stupid on MySpace.

I only had two bones to pick with this book. First, I thought a comment E.B. White made in terms of using only "he" instead of "she" as a universal antecedent for sentences that may begin, "One must watch his/her step," is a bit off for somebody who studies language. On one hand we have someone in love with language who agrees with Strunk that student body should be replaced with studentry, and on the other hand White is giving in to gender roles within language. A bit silly, and as many readers might have picked recognized, writing books have "she" in a lot of them.

Second, White made a comment about not using a foreign language in a work which, though I agree can be confusing, can still be pulled off. The way it came across was distasteful. But those are perhaps just comments on what I might feel about White as a person and not as a writer or teacher.

Get this book! It is truly a valuable resource for anyone interested in improving their writing skills. It provides clear and concise explanations of grammar rules and offers practical advice on how to use the English language more effectively. Whether you are a beginner or an experienced writer, this book has something to offer. So don't hesitate, go out and get a copy today!

Magnificent but spare. This simple yet powerful description has had a profound impact on my perception of writing and reading. "The Elements of Style" has been a guiding light in shaping my taste in both aspects.

What Strunk taught about writing brings to mind a classic line from the Tracy-Hepburn movie "Pat and Mike". In the movie, Mike Conovan says, "Not much meat on her, but what's there is 'cherce' [choice]." This line beautifully encapsulates the essence of good writing.

Although, as a feminist, I am strongly opposed to what I call "The Anorexic Ideal", when it comes to writing, I definitely prefer it to be as lean as can be. Savvy choices and tough editing are the keys to making writing communicate in a way that is evocative, meaningful, and gorgeous. By eliminating the unnecessary and focusing on the essential, we can create writing that truly shines.

In conclusion, the principles of magnificent yet spare writing, as taught by Strunk and exemplified by the best works of literature, continue to inspire and guide me in my own writing and reading journey.

The Elements of Style is truly THE writer's handbook. It serves as a comprehensive collection of rules and tips that are designed to assist you on your writing journey. These rules and tips are not only extremely helpful and informative but also very necessary for those who aspire to be writers.

“The mind travels faster than the pen; consequently, writing becomes a question of learning to make occasional wing shots, bringing down the bird of thought as it flashes by. A writer is a gunner, sometimes waiting in the blind for something to come in, sometimes roaming the countryside hoping to scare something up.” This analogy beautifully captures the essence of the writing process.

Just like a gunner, a writer must be ready to capture those fleeting thoughts and ideas. Sometimes, inspiration strikes suddenly, and we have to be quick to jot it down. Other times, we may have to search far and wide for that perfect concept. For any author, or anyone who wishes to become one, The Elements of Style is a must-read. It provides valuable guidance and insights that can help improve your writing skills and take your work to the next level.

I have read the current version of this not only during my high school days but also in elementary school.

Throughout my educational journey, whenever there is a class that demands more writing, I am constantly "required" to refer to Strunk and White. This was the case even in my recent graduate program in research administration.

It seems that every time writing becomes a significant issue, Strunk and White emerges as one of the books that course designers either recommend or mandate. Their work has become an essential resource for students across different levels of education.

It provides valuable guidelines and principles on grammar, style, and effective writing. The clear and concise explanations offered in this book have helped countless students improve their writing skills and produce more polished and professional pieces of work.

Whether it is for academic papers, research reports, or even creative writing, Strunk and White continues to be a trusted companion for those seeking to enhance their writing abilities.

It's a bit prescriptive, but the advice in this book is solid. The fourth chapter was actually quite enjoyable to read as parts of it seemed like a long, pompous rant.

"To say, 'Hopefully I'll leave on the noon plane' is to talk nonsense. Do you mean you'll leave on the noon plane with a hopeful frame of mind? Or do you mean you hope you'll leave on the noon plane? Whichever you mean, you haven't expressed it clearly. Although the word in its new, free-floating capacity may be pleasurable and even useful to many, it offends the ears of many others who don't like to see words dulled or eroded, especially when the erosion leads to ambiguity, softness, or nonsense."

Hopefully, I don't encounter Strunk or White on the street; they would truly despise how I typically speak and write. There is some excellent advice on writing forcefully and concisely in this book, and at a hundred pages, it's well worth the time invested.

Moreover, the examples provided throughout the book help to illustrate the points clearly. It serves as a valuable guide for anyone looking to improve their writing skills. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced writer, there are nuggets of wisdom to be found within these pages.

In conclusion, despite its prescriptive nature, this book offers practical and useful advice that can enhance your writing abilities. It's a must-read for anyone who takes writing seriously.

I had this book since 7 years ago. However, I just did not have the motivation to read it. I reasoned that I knew how to write simple email correspondences and that was sufficient. If I were to write a book, it would have been in Filipino as that is the language with which I am more comfortable. If I needed to write in English, I would simply hire a good editor to correct my grammar lapses.

This all changed until I joined Toastmasters International 15 months ago. The grammarian is one of the club meeting roles. In this role, the assigned Toastmaster has to listen intently to all the speakers throughout the entire meeting. He has to note down the following: (1) germs or the unfortunate use (grammar lapses including mispronounced words) of the English language; (2) gems or the rhetorical devices and the nice quotable quotes; and (3) the members who used the word of the day. He has to report all these for 2 - 3 minutes before the end of the meeting. For number 1, I often can identify the grammatical errors but sometimes I am not sure of two things: the proper way to state them and also to explain the rules like an English teacher. Then for number 3, there were two instances when as the grammarian introducing the word of the day, I mispronounced the word and was corrected by fellow club members.

This book, "The Element of Style", is composed of grammar rules that "are in essence, mere gentle reminders: they state what most of us know and at times forget." (p. 66) After reading this for 2 days during my Christmas break, there was really nothing new but just reminders of the things that I used to know. Some examples include the meaning of gerund, got being preferable to gotten (p. 48), the difference between transitive (example: lay) and intransitive (example: lie) verbs, six persons being preferable to six people (p. 56), and the proper way of using what most grammar books consider interchangeable: will and shall. Aside from these, the rules in writing (parts 1 and 2 of the book) have limited use for me as I said above that I have no plan of writing a book in English. Or if that time comes, I will just have to read the rules again.

My only minor complaint about this book is that the examples are very few. I also prefer that in grammar books, there are drills composed of many questions so that the rules can be applied in different ways. I guess I need to dig my bookshelf one of these days as I know I have some unread gems like this buried somewhere.

Overall, I will bring this book during Toastmasters meetings when I am the grammarian so I can explain the rules by citing portions of the book. I guess I will sound more credible this way.

It is extremely beneficial for what it accomplishes, which is to offer advice on how to write clearly and concisely.

However, successive generations of writers have entirely misconstrued its purpose and regarded it as a Bible of Good Writing. In fact, it isn't. The renowned linguist Geoffrey Pullum has famously embarked on something of a crusade against The Elements of Style. While he presents valid points, it might be a tad unfair to fault S&W for the fact that writers fail to recognize that the original authors were targeting an audience of scarcely literate college students.

If you are a fiction writer, the advice in S&W should be taken with a very large grain of salt. If you attempt to write novels using The Elements of Style as your guide, you will likely write very neatly and accurately, but very poorly.

I still remember, and will always remember, my 11th grade English class. Before that year, English class had meant little more than vocabulary tests, book reports, and those five-paragraph (hamburger) essays. But this class was different. Our teacher was not interested in getting us to pass a standardized test; instead, she wanted to really teach us how to read and write.

To my astonishment, I realized that nobody had ever done that before. I had been taught how to write a five-paragraph essay, but not how to write. I had been taught how to pass tests on books, but not how to read them. Writing formulaic essays and passing multiple-choice tests requires certain skills: brute memorization and learning by rote. But reading and writing require something much different: a sensitivity to the written word. Integral to developing this sensitivity was reading this slim volume.

The Elements of Style is normally billed as a kind of guidebook or instruction manual—these are the rules of grammar; these are the rules of style: follow them and you will produce good writing. And, indeed, this is how the book is formatted. But half of Strunk’s rules of grammar and usage are hopelessly outdated; the other half will probably be outdated in another fifty years. What’s more, how can anyone hope to encapsulate ‘good style’, since highly respected authors have written an enormous variety of styles?

No; the value of this book lies neither in its rules of grammar nor of style. It is valuable because Strunk and White cherish language. Consider this quote: “The colon has more effect than the comma, less power to separate than the semicolon, and more formality than the dash.” Now, this may or may not be true; I’m not saying it isn’t. My point is that, regardless, what’s important is Strunk’s attitude—that he cared deeply enough about writing to sit down and describe the feelings evoked by punctuation. To my high school self, this was beyond belief.

Strunk felt that writing was about communication—getting your point across fully without wasting the reader’s time. Say what you will about him, he was not a hypocrite; this little book can be read in one sitting. In fact, so fully does this book live up to its author’s ideals, that the reader gets a full dose of his personality. When reading Strunk's taut bullet points—“Put statements into positive form!” “Omit needless words!”—you can almost hear him yelling them in a crowded classroom—his voice harsh and nasal, his skin pale, his face cleanly shaven, wearing a tweed jacket and tapping the lectern with an open palm.

“Omit needless words!” he says again, this time with a slight grin. And with that grin, you both realize the obvious: that he’s secretly thankful for all the writers who don’t abide by his principles; otherwise, he would have nothing to be grumpy about.

The point is not that you write this way or that; the point is that you care about the way you choose. It's about having a passion for the written word and a desire to express yourself clearly and effectively. Strunk and White's The Elements of Style may not be the ultimate guide to writing, but it does offer valuable insights and a unique perspective on the art of writing. It reminds us that writing is not just about following rules, but about creating something meaningful and engaging.

The manual of language for formal writing is an essential resource for those who engage in professional or academic writing.

It provides detailed guidelines and rules on grammar, punctuation, vocabulary, and style.

By following these guidelines, writers can ensure that their work is clear, concise, and free from errors.

This manual is not intended for those who are interested in writing fiction books, as the requirements and styles of formal writing and fiction writing are quite different.

Fiction writers have more freedom to experiment with language and style, while formal writers must adhere to a set of established norms.

However, even for fiction writers, having a good understanding of the basics of grammar and punctuation can be beneficial in improving the overall quality of their work.

In conclusion, the manual of language for formal writing is a valuable tool for anyone who wants to write effectively in a formal context.

Admittedly, I use the dictionary a lot less than this little book.

This small volume seems to have a certain charm that attracts me more than the traditional dictionary.

Maybe it's because the information in this book is presented in a more concise and accessible way.

It cuts to the chase and provides the essential details that I need quickly.

In contrast, the dictionary can sometimes feel overwhelming with its extensive entries and detailed explanations.

While the dictionary is a valuable resource for in-depth research and comprehensive understanding, this little book serves as a convenient and practical tool for my daily language needs.

I find myself reaching for it more often when I'm looking for a quick definition or a simple synonym.

It has become a trusted companion in my language learning and communication journey.

This book has several rather unusual uses.

First, it can be used to prop up a short table leg, providing a simple solution to a wobbly table.

Second, it can serve as a lining for a bird cage, perhaps adding a bit of texture or protection.

Third, in a pinch, it could even be used to build a fire, although this might not be the most practical or efficient way.

Finally, it can function as a coaster for cold drinks, preventing condensation from damaging surfaces.

I dedicated a portion of my grammar thesis to critiquing this book, and I believe it was time well invested.

Geoff Nunberg put it quite aptly when he said, "The strange thing is to witness rules like these being passed down as traditional linguistic wisdom." Consider the dictum that one should say "10 persons" instead of "10 people." You can still discover it in the recent editions of Strunk and White's highly regarded Elements of Style, along with outdated warnings against saying "contact us" or calling something "worthwhile." The linguist Arnold Zwicky refers to these as zombie rules. Someone should have disposed of them long ago, yet here we are in 2010, assigning students a style guide that informs them that correct English demands they write, "There were 5,000 screaming persons at the Lady Gaga concert." http://www.npr.org/templates/story/st...

Yes. This is an extremely good book for anyone who has the desire to write anything.

Of course, when it comes to writing, you have the freedom to break any rule. However, I firmly believe that it is far more effective when you are fully aware of the rule you are choosing to break and also understand the reasons behind your decision.

Whether you are penning a high school book report or embarking on the creation of a novel, having a good familiarity with these old-fashioned guides to writing can prove to be highly beneficial.

I wholeheartedly recommend this book to be placed on any writer's reference shelf. It serves as a valuable resource that can offer insights and inspiration, helping writers to enhance their skills and produce more engaging and impactful works.