The Elements of Style: The Original Edition (Dover Language Guides)

I've had writing friends say that The Elements of Style is just too basic, too old-fashioned to be relied upon. As a writer who uses this book constantly, I say not so. Strunk offers up 52 pages of essential information for the writer in all of us. There are no endless pages of descriptions - just simple reminders of what we should already know and understand about how to present our writing effectively. This one has become one of my go-to guides for style points.

This is a must have for anyone interested in writing or learning how to refine how they write daily. My local librarian introduced me to a later version of this book which has a few additional notes by E.B. White which I may still pick up in the future as an additional source of reference. Regardless, this book contains the core information of the Elements of Style regardless of later versions and is a short read for most as it is only 52 pages in length. At the size of 8.5" x 5.5" the book is thin enough to carry around everywhere or perfect to keep at your work desk. If you're interested in knowing what may or may not have changed over the years then consider one of the later editions. If you're looking for just a core reference guide that cuts out all the long winded text and provides examples of core style applications, consider this as a go-to resource.

This is a very useful booklet for someone who knows how to write and knows how he wants to improve his writing by polishing his style. It requires a careful resding of the materials and applying them with good practice; rewards of which are very satisfying if you know what you are looking to improve. I have found the priciples very useful. I did't give a five star rating because I wanted more of the same good stuff and wasn't there.

Irony.I try to read Strunk & White's "The Elements of Style" every year. Since my copies are still sitting in a warehouse somewhere in New Jersey, I downloaded a copy to my Kindle just the other day. In doing so, I noticed that Dover publishes Strunk's first edition. It's available in paperback (not for the Kindle), but I was excited to order the physical copy for $4.95. Received the next day. On the back is the publisher's praise of the book which uses the word "utilizes". In the current 4th edition of Strunk and White, Chapter 4, page 55: "Why say utilize when there is the simple, unpretentious word use?" I guess the praise writer didn't read the current book. Sad. I'll scrape off the offending word with a knife blade. Do you think this scraping is going too far?

For all writers that want to get a crystal clear and quick look at any writing questions they may have, this book is a must have on your shelves. It's small, but detailed. It's clear with examples and straight to the point examples.Get this book!

Yale University requires its students to read this book. I give it as a graduation present to anyone heading off to college and to new employees at our consulting business. It is essential reading for anyone who needs to communicate succinctly and clearly.

was not complete this version was missing stuff from earlier versions...but still got the message across

Succinct, clear grammatical guideline. Excellent resource. I return to it at least annually.

I typically carry a good selection of Writer's Resources in my store, having assisted and managed book sales at many National Writer's Conferences. Many of them give exceptional value. But I've also learned from personal experience that many of the resources I have taken home with such high expectations have sat on my bookshelves and collected dust after the excitement of the Writer's Conference has worn off. This little book has been the exception to that. It is the lowest price Writer's Resource I normally carry in the store, but in my estimation, THE MOST VALUABLE. I highly recommend it -- for authors or for students writing research papers. It is one book I believe you will turn to over and over. It has been re-written multiple times but my preference is still the original edition, first published in 1920. ANY TIME a book survives and continues to be republished for that long, you can be confident that there is SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL about it. ANY TIME the lowest priced resource of a particular type in a store is promoted by the store owner over higher priced books that give him more profit, you can be confident there is SOMETHING EXCEPTIONAL about it.

Ótimo livro, mas aborda sobre assuntos linguísticos mais técnicos e acabei não analisando muito na hora da compra, pois comprei por indicação. Mas vale a pena a leitura.

No es un libro facil de encontrar, tenia un excelente precio , por lo que lo hace una buena compra, sin embargo las cosas malas fue el tiempo de espera, y que la contraportada tenia un linea profunda.

great book

Why did I not find this book 20 years ago? It is so precise and simple. The rules are so easy to remember and the templates remain etched in ones thinking. Must be made compulsory in schools. And if you plan to write don't ever start without reading this book cover to cover...