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Summary: The Fundamentals of Clear and Effective Prose
Review: "The Elements of Style", written by Professor William Strunk Jr. in the 1910's and revised and augmented by E.B. White, his former student, in the 1950's, is still the most helpful guide to writing English prose in the smallest package. The book comprises sections on: Rules of Usage, Principals of Composition, Matters of Form, Words and Expressions Commonly Misused, and a section entitled "An Approach to Style" in which Mr. White offers some excellent advice on style in the broader sense of writing that reflects the author's personality or tastes. There is also a glossary of grammar and usage terms in the back of the book. The section on English usage is useful but not comprehensive. And I believe a couple of the rules are outdated, even though this 4th edition was published in the year 2000. The rest of the book is truly dedicated to "the elements of style", meaning a writing style's most essential considerations. The authors explain, with good humor and language that is easy to understand, the " do's and don'ts" for writing clear and effective prose. These rules and recommendations can probably be summarized by saying, "Be direct and concise." But "The Elements of Style" tells the reader how to accomplish this goal. This book doesn't address how to structure a paragraph or organize an essay, so writers seeking advice on these topics will need some additional text. "The Elements of Style" is dedicated to constructing sentences in the most effective style. Middle school, high school, and college students -and anyone who would like to refresh his or her writing skills- will find "The Elements of Style" helpful, especially in writing academic prose. Messrs. Strunk and White have extracted the most essential points of writing good English, recognized the most common mistakes, and put them into this small, inexpensive and easily absorbed little book.
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Summary: On my permanent reference shelf
Review: Apart from THE CHICAGO MANUAL OF STYLE and STET AGAIN!, the must-have writer's guide. It's on the syllabi for every creative writing MFA program.
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Summary: ESSENTIAL
Review: As the 'rules' in this iconic book take up only 14 pages, it continually amazes me how often I can find the answer to a grammar or punctuation guestion within those pages. It doesn't cover everything, and some of the 'rules' are of course changing with the passage of time - but if a wannabe writer can't afford a whole bookcase of tomes on How to Write, then this is the one he or she should buy.
Beyond those 14 pithy pages, however, are another 100 or so that extend the value of the book immeasurably: Principles of Composition, Commonly Misused Words, and perhaps the most valuable: An Approach to Style, which gives excellent advice along the lines of Do not overwrite, Avoid qualifiers, Don't over-explain, Avoid adverbs, Avoid dialect, Don't inject opinion, and tons of others.
When all's said and done, however, one of the very best parts is a wonderful essay by the inimitable EB White himself - the Introduction, which serves as a perfect example of all that the rest of the small book preaches: write concisely, clearly, and well, and say something worthwhile.
Other books for writers to consider: Bird by Bird, On Writing, and Writing Down the Bones.
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Summary: Needed More Than Ever!
Review: Attitude? The only attitude found in this book is an undying sympathy for the poor reader. In an age when books are pumped out faster than one can read them, THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE is needed more than ever. ELEMENTS is not a grammar book? Hmm. I must've missed part 1, "The Elementary Rules of Usage." The fact is, you'll be hard pressed to find a publisher or a professional writer anywhere who does not give this book a whole-hearted endorsement. I've been a writer for 27 years and in all that time THE ELEMENTS OF STYLE has been at the top of every "must have" list of books for writers. Buy it. Read it. And read it often!
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Summary: Useful book for writers and editors
Review: For writers and those who work in publishing this little book contains a lot of matters worthy of consideration. It's not the most useful book I have on the subject (that honour goes to "Style Book" by Derek Wallace and Janet Hughes published in 1995) and I don't agree with everything the authors have to say, but it does contain a lot of useful tips, pointers and ways of polishing your text. You can't go wrong by giving it a careful read.
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Summary: Short and concise
Review: I somehow make a living as a professional writer despite my poor spelling. Because of this book, however, my grammar is not as bad. This is the classic text upon which many writers honed their skills. It contains pearls of wisdom for tightening and fine tuning one's writing style. What's truly amazing is how the authors compress everything into so few words, yet remain accessible and clear to the average reader. Everyone who writes in the English language should own a copy of this work.
Rating: 
Summary: A Rotten Little Book
Review: I suppose that this book might be of some use as an antidote for semi-literate Americans who've read one too many articles by William F. Buckley and decided that they'd like to posess his "eloquence." But for anyone who thinks that written English should aspire to beauty rather than mere functionality, it's about 100 pages of the worst imaginable sanctimonius claptrap, pressed between two glossy little covers.
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Summary: Indispensable
Review: I was going to title this review "Simply Indispensable," but - following Strunk & White's advice - I omitted the adverb as it doesn't strengthen or clarify the verb like you'd think it would.
The Elements of Style (Third Edition) is a tremendous help in understanding what makes words flow on a page. I understand that the Fourth Edition takes steps for greater gender equity in its examples, in addition to making other minor tweaks to the 1979 edition. I don't think you can go wrong with either.
The first dozen or so pages tackle the thorniest grammar problems (possessives, subject/verb agreement, pronouns, etc.) and the remainder of the book focuses on how to make your writing clearer and more accessible by the reader. It's here we get the indispensable advice of "Omit needless words" and "Place emphatic words of a sentence at the end." Tips like these turn poorly constructed writing into literary gold - just look what it did for my review title: pure gold.
There is also a subtle wry sense of humor running through the book. In section 4 (Words & Expressions Commonly Misused), Strunk & White make this observation regarding nauseous/nauseated: "The first means `sickening to contemplate'; the second means `sick at the stomach.' Do not, therefore, say `I feel nauseous,' unless you are sure you have that effect on others." From the section 5.17: Do not inject opinion, "To air one's views gratuitously, however, is to imply that the demand for them is brisk, which may not be the case...." Granted, Strunk & White are no Martin & Lewis, but this little text is far from dull and dry.
There are other style manuals available in print and online, but at about 100 pages (the Third Edition was a mere 85), Strunk & White's Elements of Style will likely deliver the advice you need before you've thumbed halfway through the index of the others.
Buy it. Read it. Live it. You'll be glad you did.
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Summary: Extremely useful and, yes-- enjoyable
Review: Nothing has helped my writing more than this little guide. I was introduced to it by a poetry professor my first year of college, and now it's nearly falling apart. The book is well organized, addressing common confusions over English usage (rules for punctuation, frequently confused words like which/that, etc.) and helpful hints for effective writing. Digesting this material will make your writing more coherent, more concise, and more powerful. It's also a cheap and useful gift to give to high school grads who are planning on going to college.
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Summary: A handy reference guide for your desktop...
Review: Quickly approaching its hundred-year anniversary, "The Elements of Style" - a pocket reference guide created by Cornell professor William Strunk as an aide for his students is today as relevant and helpful as ever. The introduction by E.B. White is worth the price of the book by itself, but when his immense talents are combined with his professor's, the world ends up with a valuable tool."The Elements of Style" contains everything a practitioner of the English language would need. The book starts with "Elementary Rules of Usage" which references the proper rules for possessives, parenthetic expressions, colons, dashes, etc. The book then moves on to "Elementary Principles of Composition", advising writers to use the active voice, choose a suitable design and hold to it, and among other things - omit needless words! That last tidbit of advice can't not ever in a million years be written enough times for people to read it and understand, you know? The remainder of "Elements of Style" focuses on form, commonly misused words and expressions, and the writer's individual approach to style. This last part takes on the role of a coach for the writer - simply reminding him of the various do's and don't that make writing clear and concise. Overall, this is a helpful book and a handy reference for one's desktop. If you find yourself constantly wondering if "who" or "whom" should be used, then this is the book for you... Get yourself a copy! Britt Gillette
Author of "Conquest of Paradise: An End-Times Nano-Thriller"
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