Books › Dreyer's English
Dreyer's English
320 pages
A witty, conversational masterclass in the mechanics of prose that feels like grabbing drinks with your favorite, sharpest editor.
What it feels like
Reading this book feels less like sitting in a stuffy grammar class and more like sharing a pot of coffee with a brilliantly witty, slightly pedantic friend who happens to be a master of the English language. The pace is surprisingly brisk for a manual on prose, propelled by the author's wry humor, endless footnotes, and infectious enthusiasm for the mechanics of writing. The mood is convivial and intellectually cozy, inviting you to revel in the minutiae of commas, passive voice, and tricky homophones. Its prose is, naturally, impeccable, yet it remains deeply conversational and accessible. It is an absolute delight for word nerds, aspiring writers, and anyone who finds joy in the art of a perfectly crafted sentence.
- Mood
- convivial
- intellectual
- cheerful
- cozy
- Tone
- wry
- authoritative
- witty
- conversational
- playful
- Pace
- brisk
- Themes
- the joy of language · the craft of writing · clarity and communication · breaking the rules
- The writing
- Sharp, conversational, heavily footnoted with humorous asides, and impeccably constructed.
- The arc
- Moves from a sense of grammatical intimidation to an empowered, joyful appreciation of language.
- Who it's for
- Word nerds, writers, editors, and anyone who gets a thrill out of a perfectly placed semicolon or a witty grammar joke.
About the book
"Authoritative as it is amusing, this book distills everything Benjamin Dreyer has learned from the hundreds of books he has copyedited, including works by Elizabeth Strout, E. L. Doctorow, and Frank Rich, into a useful guide not just for writers but for everyone who wants to put their best foot forward in writing prose. Dreyer offers lessons on the ins and outs of punctuation and grammar, including how to navigate the words he calls 'the confusables,' like tricky homophones; the myriad ways to use (and misuse) a comma; and how to recognize--though not necessarily do away with--the passive voice. (Hint: If you can plausibly add 'by zombies' to the end of a sentence, it's passive.) People are sharing their writing more than ever--on blogs, on Twitter--and this book lays out, clearly and comprehensibly, everything writers can do to keep readers focused on the real reason writers write: to communicate their ideas clearly and effectively. Chock-full of advice, insider wisdom, and fun facts on the rules (and nonrules) of the English language, this book will prove invaluable to everyone who wants to shore up their writing skills, mandatory for people who spend their time editing and shaping other people's prose, and--perhaps best of all--an utter treat for anyone who simply revels in language"--
Description from Open Library.
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