The New Well Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent, the Eager, and the Doomed by Karen Elizabeth Gordon

Main page

Editions

The New Well Tempered Sentence: A Punctuation Handbook for the Innocent,…

by Karen Elizabeth Gordon

Members	Reviews	Popularity	Average rating	Conversations
640	6	7,233	(4.05)	2

Add to your library

Add to wishlist

▾Book information

Info:	Houghton Mifflin (1993), Hardcover, 160 pages
Member:	Enzo
Collections:	Your library	Rating:
Tags:	None

all members

▾Members

Recently added by

persnicula, private library, Mark_Bell, Prometheus7, Harmless_Dilettante, michaelbogue, goldieashe, kpenrod, lokar13

numbers

show all

▾Tags

editing(7) education(2) English(26) english grammar(8) English language(19) female author(2) Gordon(4) gothic(2) grammar(115) handbook(4) hardcover(6) home(4) how-to(3) humor(17) karen elizabeth gordon(4) language(70) language arts(3) linguistics(5) non-fiction(69) own(4) punctuation(56) read(7) reference(134) sentence structure(2) style guide(3) usage(13) wishlist(4) words(5) writing(99) writing skills(3)

▾Recommendations

LibraryThing recommendations

see more recommendations for this work

Member recommendations

None.

contribute your own recommendation

▾Will you like it?

won't like will probably not like will probably like will like will love

▾Member reviews

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 6 (next | show all)

If you are one of those writers who is mystified by comma placement, Karen Elizabeth Gordon can straighten you out. In this book of 148 numbered pages, she devotes 37 pages (25 percent) to comma placement. The instructions are clear, brilliantly written, and fun to read. The illustrations are clever, even kinky. All of it together is calculated to grab and hold your attention. You can't ask much more than that from a punctuation manual.

I rate it only four stars because over the years I found at least two minor questions that KEG doesn't answer. But to tell the whole truth, I've forgotten what those questions are. Generally speaking, if you have questions about punctuation, all the answers are in 'The New Well-Tempered Sentence.' This is one good book. (

)

dekesolomon | Oct 28, 2009 |

Awesome, a grammar handbook that is entertaining. Gordon's whimsical sentences, which illustrate the many ways in which to apply commas, semi colons, and other punctuation marks make one forget that this book provides good guidance for all your tricky punctuation questions. How much more fun would 7th grade grammar have been if the sentences in our grammar text--"Saturday's Council meeting was unusually harmonious, for no one raised any objections."-- were replaced with the gems in The Well-Tempered Sentence: "The room filled up with philanderers, all seeking some buxom relief." "And don't you dare set foot in my hearse ever again!" (

)

patience_crabstick | Dec 25, 2008 |

This book uses humorous examples to explain the mysteries of punctuation. Excellent reference. (

)

auntieknickers | Feb 1, 2008 |

Another, not boring book on English grammar (

)

CathyLeming | Dec 31, 2006 |

You never again have to be bored while learning punctuation or grammar. Gordon's books are hilarious and entertaining, while delivering everything you need to know. (

)

bookcrazed | May 22, 2006 |

date ▼ | votes

Showing 1-5 of 6 (next | show all)

▾Published reviews

1 review

add a review

thingScore 100

I doubt that even my most hardcore grammar geek friends have ever laughed out loud while reading about writing properly. (I did while reading this one, and I got some strange looks from people in my vicinity.)

added by lulaa | editBusiness of Design Online, Erin Harris (Jul 26, 2009)

view history

▾Common Knowledge

You must log in to edit Common Knowledge data.

For more help see the Common Knowledge help page.

Series (with order)

Canonical Title

Original publication date

1983

People/Characters

Important places

Important events

Related movies

Awards and honors

Epigraph

Dedication

I can't possibly give this book to one person, but certain sentences in it are for David Bromige, Judith Wright, Harold Schneider, Baillie Kay, Robert Bly, Carol Dunlop, and Kay Turney. For their ineffable assistance, I wish to thank Linda Purdy and Maia Gregory. And thanks to Paul Aaen Gordon for his definition of Time

First words

The period is used to mark the end of a declarative or mild imperative sentence.

Quotations

Last words

(Click to show. Warning: May contain spoilers.)

Disambiguation notice

Publisher's editors

Blurbers

Edwin Newman

▾References

References to this work on external resources.

Wikipedia in English

None

▾LibraryThing members' description

Book description

▾Book descriptions

Amazon.com Product Description (ISBN 0395628830, Hardcover)

For over a decade THE WELL TEMPERED SENTENCE has provided instruction and pleasure to the wariest student and the most punctilious scholar alike. Now Karen Elizabeth Gordon has revised and enlarged her classic handbook with fuller explanations of the rules of punctuation, additional whimsical graphics, and further character development and drama -- all the while redeeming punctuation from the perils of boredom. For anyone who has despaired of opening a punctuation handbook (but whose sentences despair without one), THE NEW WELL TEMPERED SENTENCE will teach you clearly and simply where to place a comma and how to use an apostrophe. And as you master the elusive slashes, dots, and dashes that give expression to our most perplexing thoughts, you will find yourself in the grip of a bizarre and beguiling comedy of manners. Long-time fans will delight in the further intrigues of cover girl Loona, the duke and duchess, and the mysterious Rosie and Nimrod. The New Well-Tempered Sentence is sure to entertain while teaching you everything you want to know about punctuation. Never before has punctuation been so much fun!

(retrieved from Amazon Fri, 24 Apr 2009 07:58:22 -0400)

(see all 2 descriptions)

▾Open Shelves Classification

The first test round has been closed. Visit the Open Shelves Classification group for details.