Welcome Words of Wisdom
Written: Sep 02 '00
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great advice for all
Cons: none
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| pambo's Full Review: Bill Walsh - Lapsing into a Comma: A Curmudgeon's ... |
You can say many things—all good—about this book but one thing its author is not is un-opinionated. More important, Bill Walsh backs up his opinions on language with considerable support, which makes reading his new book both an eye-opening experience and a laugh riot.
If you fancy yourself somewhat of an expert on language, Walsh may make you think again. Do you do everything you can to avoid split infinitives? What do you know you know about language? Walsh has lots to say, some of it surprising, all of it well-informed.
He makes his living as a newspaper copy desk chief, a job some consider to be the Capital of Unnecessary Rules of a newsroom, with stylebook policies enforced vigorously, sometimes, reporters think, at the expense of good writing.
This book will quickly lead you to realize that Bill is a bit of a rock-throwing contrarian, busy pointing out what is wrong with the rules we were taught through school or by other colleagues. This doesn’t mean, though, that he’s an advocate of eliminating grammar rules or anything else that makes writing effective.
At the core of his thinking is his determination to let the writing speak, clearly, to all. That seems a worthy goal.
Much of the material in this book used to be on his Web site at www.theslot.com but because of the book contract, he had to remove it. The site is still worth checking out, though, for his humorous and rather fierce riffs on everything from dot-coms to hyphens to split infinitives.
This book is of use to anyone who uses the English language. Use what you like. Ignore what you don't, but only at your own peril.
Recommended:
Yes
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Member: Pam
Location: Long Island
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